City comparison
Yes. Austin's crime index is 162 versus 187 in Long Beach, and its violent crime index is 130 versus 189, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Austin is cheaper. Median rent is $1,729 a month versus $1,871 in Long Beach.
Austin and Long Beach are closer on paper than many city pairs, so the move comes down to how you weight cost, safety, and climate. Typical rent sits near $1,729 in Austin and $1,871 in Long Beach, and median household income lands at $93,658 versus $87,430. Use the category rows below to see which gaps would change your daily life.
Austin is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. Long Beach makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Austin is the stronger move.
Visit both if you can. Cities reveal themselves in the ordinary moments, a Tuesday morning commute, a Saturday errand run, not on a weekend visit.
The move
Austin and Long Beach are 1,220 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,729 a month in Austin to $1,871 a month in Long Beach, up $142 a month (8%).
Median household income goes from $93,658 in Austin to $87,430 in Long Beach, down $6,228 (7%).
The crime index goes from 162 in Austin to 187 in Long Beach, up 25 points (15%).
The move
Long Beach and Austin are 1,220 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,871 a month in Long Beach to $1,729 a month in Austin, down $142 a month (8%).
Median household income goes from $87,430 in Long Beach to $93,658 in Austin, up $6,228 (7%).
The crime index goes from 187 in Long Beach to 162 in Austin, down 25 points (13%).
Austin, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Long Beach, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Austin and Long Beach? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
8% cheaper
Austin rent is 8% cheaper than Long Beach
Austin
Winner$1,729/mo
Long Beach
$1,871/mo
Typical rent runs $1,729 a month in Austin versus $1,871 in Long Beach, so Austin is 8% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $142, or $1,704 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Austin? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
7% higher
Austin's median income is 7% higher than Long Beach
Austin
Winner$93,658
Long Beach
$87,430
Median household income is $93,658 in Austin versus $87,430 in Long Beach, so typical pay runs 7% higher in Austin (about $6,228 more household income a year). The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.
Crime index
13% lower crime
Austin's crime index is 13% lower than Long Beach
Austin
Winner162 (100 = avg)
Long Beach
187 (100 = avg)
Austin's crime index is 162 versus 187 in Long Beach (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 13% lower in Austin. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Austin, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Long Beach. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Austin and Long Beach are about even on typical weather.
Austin
68°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Long Beach
76°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Austin averages about 68°F (76°F highs); Long Beach averages about 76°F (81°F highs). Austin sits near 68°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Long Beach sits near 76°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Austin is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 8% cheaper here at about $1,729 a month. Choose Austin if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Austin is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 7% higher here ($93,658). Start with Austin if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Austin is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 13% lower than Long Beach (162 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Long Beach
On these five categories Austin takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Long Beach because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose Long Beach only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.
Bottom line
Safety is the widest gap: Austin scores 45/100 versus 41/100 in Long Beach. Rent is $1,729/month in Austin and $1,871/month in Long Beach, so you are not buying calm streets for free.
With only $142 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Typical rent stays $1,729 in Austin and $1,871 in Long Beach.
Austin is ahead on safety (45/100 vs 41/100); Long Beach is still viable when you have a vetted ZIP there and $1,871/month rent plus $87,430 income fit your budget better than the safety margin.
Common questions
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Next steps
Quotes and listings for Austin when you're ready to act.
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Austin and Long Beach, plus other cities in TX and CA.
