Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Long Beach, CA

    Is Long Beach a good place to live?

    Watch Long Beach

    Long Beach ranks #262 of 304 California cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (35/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.8% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $762,200
    +7.4% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,803
    per month
    Household income
    $83,969
    median
    Unemployment
    6.5%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Long Beach

    The median home value in Long Beach is $762,200 and median rent is $1,803 a month, against a median household income of $83,969. Homes cost about 9.1× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Long Beach crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across California the 2025 rate was 435 violent and 1,821 property crimes per 100,000 people — #9 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Long Beach, CA

    Long Beach has about 458,491 residents, 6.5% unemployment and 22% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Long Beach with

    Long Beach vs Los AngelesLong Beach vs San DiegoLong Beach vs San JoseLong Beach vs San FranciscoLong Beach vs FresnoLong Beach vs SacramentoLong Beach vs OaklandLong Beach vs Bakersfield

    More: Where to move in California · Best counties in California

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report