City comparison
No. Santa Ana's crime index is 107 versus 187 in Long Beach, and its violent crime index is 121 versus 189, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Long Beach is cheaper. Median rent is $1,871 a month versus $2,082 in Santa Ana.
Safety is where Long Beach and Santa Ana split most clearly. Santa Ana scores 80 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 $2,082 in Santa Ana.
This is a genuine split. Long Beach wins on cost of living and Santa Ana wins on the job market and safety. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The crime gap is citywide. Santa Ana has rougher pockets and Long Beach has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Long Beach and Santa Ana are 19 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,871 a month in Long Beach to $2,082 a month in Santa Ana, up $211 a month (11%).
Median household income goes from $87,430 in Long Beach to $93,999 in Santa Ana, up $6,569 (8%).
The crime index goes from 187 in Long Beach to 107 in Santa Ana, down 80 points (43%).
The move
Santa Ana and Long Beach are 19 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $2,082 a month in Santa Ana to $1,871 a month in Long Beach, down $211 a month (10%).
Median household income goes from $93,999 in Santa Ana to $87,430 in Long Beach, down $6,569 (7%).
The crime index goes from 107 in Santa Ana to 187 in Long Beach, up 80 points (75%).
Long Beach, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Santa Ana, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Long Beach and Santa Ana? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
10% cheaper
Long Beach rent is 10% cheaper than Santa Ana
Long Beach
Winner$1,871/mo
Santa Ana
$2,082/mo
Typical rent runs $1,871 a month in Long Beach versus $2,082 in Santa Ana, so Long Beach is 10% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,532, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Long Beach still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Santa Ana.
Planning to buy in Santa Ana? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
8% higher
Santa Ana's median income is 8% higher than Long Beach
Long Beach
$87,430
Santa Ana
Winner$93,999
Median household income is $93,999 in Santa Ana versus $87,430 in Long Beach, so typical pay runs 8% higher in Santa Ana (about $6,569 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
43% lower crime
Santa Ana's crime index is 43% lower than Long Beach
Long Beach
187 (100 = avg)
Santa Ana
Winner107 (100 = avg)
Santa Ana's crime index is 107 versus 187 in Long Beach (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 43% lower in Santa Ana. 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, Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana are about even on typical weather.
Long Beach
76°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Santa Ana
77°F avg · 83°F highs · comfort 100/100
Long Beach averages about 76°F (81°F highs); Santa Ana averages about 77°F (83°F highs). Long Beach sits near 76°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Santa Ana sits near 77°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
Long Beach is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 10% cheaper here at about $1,871 a month. Choose Long Beach if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Santa Ana is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 8% higher here ($93,999). Start with Santa Ana if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Santa Ana is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 43% lower than Long Beach (107 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
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Santa Ana leads on safety (58/100 vs 41/100 in Long Beach). Typical rent is $2,082 in Santa Ana and $1,871 in Long Beach; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Santa Ana still pays more locally ($93,999 median income vs $87,430), which can offset the lease if your field pays Santa Ana rates.
Median income is $93,999 in Santa Ana versus $87,430 in Long Beach.
Between Long Beach and Santa Ana, Santa Ana is ahead on safety — 58/100 safety versus 41/100. Lean Long Beach instead when you already know the Long Beach block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Long Beach and Santa Ana, plus other cities in CA.
