Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Long Beach, CA
VS
Worcester, MA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Long Beach
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
Worcester
Massachusetts
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,011
Violent Crime Index
4 ✓ Safer
Population
204,191
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $15,984 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 32°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $709,700
Violent crime (676.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,698/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Worcester, MA
Pros
Homes cost $404k less ($305,600 vs $709,700)
98% less violent crime than Long Beach
Rent averages $386/mo less ($1,312 vs $1,698)
Violent crime is well below the national average (16.5 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Long Beach
Cons
Median income trails Long Beach by $15,984/yr
Snowy winters — about 73" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Long Beach
Median Income
$15,984
$78,995 vs $63,011/yr
Worcester
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 103.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Worcester
Violent Crime
98% lower
16.5 vs 676.4 per 100k
Worcester
Median Home Value
$404k less
$305,600 vs $709,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Long Beach, CA | Worcester, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 103.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $709,700⚠ High | $305,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,698⚠ High | $1,312 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,995 ✓ Higher | $63,011 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 9.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 173⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High | 4 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 166⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% ✓ Higher | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% | 85.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | Worcester |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer | 32.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F ✓ Warmer | 79.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.0" ✓ Drier | 48.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 72.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 462,293 ✓ Larger | 204,191 |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 42.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.7% ✓ More | 19.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 13.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Long Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Worcester's 103.8 (US average = 100).
Worcester is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Long Beach wins 10 and Worcester wins 10. 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 Worcester or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($709,700 vs $305,600 median home), income ($78,995 vs $63,011), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Long Beach, CA and Worcester, MA are about 2,558 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.