Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Long Beach, CA
VS
Westminster, CA
🏆 Westminster leads 12 of 21 categories
Long Beach
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
Westminster
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$80,271 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
90,638
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Rent averages $279/mo less ($1,698 vs $1,977)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (6.6%)
More college-educated — 33.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $67k less ($709,700 vs $777,100)
Cons
Violent crime (676.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (3478.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Westminster, CA
Pros
36% less violent crime than Long Beach
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher rents — median is $1,977/mo
Property crime (2498.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.5% vs 6.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Long Beach
Median Home Value
$67k less
$709,700 vs $777,100
Long Beach
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
6.6% vs 7.5% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Westminster
Median Income
$1,276
$80,271 vs $78,995/yr
Westminster
Violent Crime
36% lower
436.2 vs 676.4 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Long Beach, CA | Westminster, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $709,700⚠ High ✓ Lower | $777,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,698⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,977⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,995 | $80,271 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 28.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 173⚠ High | 116⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 166⚠ High | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) ✓ Better | C- (72) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 22.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% ✓ Higher | 26.0% |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% ✓ Higher | 77.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | Westminster |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.0" ✓ Drier | 12.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 462,293 ✓ Larger | 90,638 |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 41.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 52.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | 21.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 17.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Long Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Westminster's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Westminster leads 12 of 21 categories. Long Beach wins 9 and Westminster wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Long Beach to Westminster or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($709,700 vs $777,100 median home), income ($78,995 vs $80,271), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Long Beach, CA and Westminster, CA are about 10 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.