Living in Long Beach, CA
Big city in California
Long Beach is a big city in California, home to about 458,000 people, with 11.7 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Long Beach a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 29 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Easy flying: LGB is 2 mi away
- Mild summers: highs around 80°F
- Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby
👎 Cons
- Few dog parks: 15 within 9 mi
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $961k, and rent is $3,300 a month
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.64% property tax
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Long Beach ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Long Beach: common questions
What is the cost of living in Long Beach?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $961k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,300 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 114, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Long Beach?
California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.64% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Long Beach safe?
Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.3× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Long Beach?
Long Beach is warm all year: winter days average around 67°F and summer days around 80°F.
Does Long Beach get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 15 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.15 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Long Beach?
The nearest major airport is LGB, about 2 mi away.
How Long Beach scores
Each bar compares Long Beach with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Long Beach right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.