City comparison
No. Plano's crime index is 62 versus 187 in Long Beach, and its violent crime index is 43 versus 189, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Plano is cheaper. Median rent is $1,841 a month versus $1,871 in Long Beach.
Safety is where Long Beach and Plano split most clearly. Plano scores 125 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,871 in Long Beach and $1,841 in Plano.
Plano 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 Plano is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Plano has rougher pockets and Long Beach has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Long Beach and Plano are 1,239 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,871 a month in Long Beach to $1,841 a month in Plano, down $30 a month (2%).
Median household income goes from $87,430 in Long Beach to $112,253 in Plano, up $24,823 (28%).
The crime index goes from 187 in Long Beach to 62 in Plano, down 125 points (67%).
The move
Plano and Long Beach are 1,239 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,841 a month in Plano to $1,871 a month in Long Beach, up $30 a month (2%).
Median household income goes from $112,253 in Plano to $87,430 in Long Beach, down $24,823 (22%).
The crime index goes from 62 in Plano to 187 in Long Beach, up 125 points (202%).
Long Beach, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Plano, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Long Beach and Plano? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
2% cheaper
Plano rent is 2% cheaper than Long Beach
Long Beach
$1,871/mo
Plano
Winner$1,841/mo
Typical rent runs $1,841 a month in Plano versus $1,871 in Long Beach, so Plano is 2% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $30, or $360 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 Plano? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
28% higher
Plano's median income is 28% higher than Long Beach
Long Beach
$87,430
Plano
Winner$112,253
Median household income is $112,253 in Plano versus $87,430 in Long Beach, so typical pay runs 28% higher in Plano (about $24,823 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Plano is the stronger labor market on paper. Long Beach can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
67% lower crime
Plano's crime index is 67% lower than Long Beach
Long Beach
187 (100 = avg)
Plano
Winner62 (100 = avg)
Plano's crime index is 62 versus 187 in Long Beach (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 67% lower in Plano. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Plano is the easier city. Long Beach can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Long Beach and Plano are about even on typical weather.
Long Beach
71°F avg · 77°F highs · comfort 100/100
Plano
69°F avg · 77°F highs · comfort 100/100
Long Beach averages about 71°F (77°F highs); Plano averages about 69°F (77°F highs). Long Beach sits near 71°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Plano sits near 69°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
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Long Beach
On these five categories Plano 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.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Plano is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 2% cheaper here at about $1,841 a month. Choose Plano if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Plano is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 28% higher here ($112,253). Start with Plano if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Plano is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 67% lower than Long Beach (62 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.
Bottom line
Safety is the widest gap: Plano scores 75/100 versus 41/100 in Long Beach. Rent is $1,841/month in Plano and $1,871/month in Long Beach, so you are not buying calm streets for free.
With only $30 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Typical rent stays $1,841 in Plano and $1,871 in Long Beach.
Plano is ahead on safety (75/100 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
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