City comparison
Los Angeles is safer than Long Beach. Los Angeles's crime index is 158 versus 187 in Long Beach, and its violent crime index is 202 versus 189, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Long Beach is cheaper. Median rent is $1,871 a month versus $1,933 in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles 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 $1,933 in Los Angeles and $1,871 in Long Beach, and median household income lands at $81,939 versus $87,430. Use the category rows below to see which gaps would change your daily life.
This is a genuine split. Los Angeles wins on safety and Long Beach wins on cost of living and the job market. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
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
Los Angeles and Long Beach are 20 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,933 a month in Los Angeles to $1,871 a month in Long Beach, down $62 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $81,939 in Los Angeles to $87,430 in Long Beach, up $5,491 (7%).
The crime index goes from 158 in Los Angeles to 187 in Long Beach, up 29 points (18%).
The move
Long Beach and Los Angeles are 20 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,871 a month in Long Beach to $1,933 a month in Los Angeles, up $62 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $87,430 in Long Beach to $81,939 in Los Angeles, down $5,491 (6%).
The crime index goes from 187 in Long Beach to 158 in Los Angeles, down 29 points (16%).
Los Angeles, CA
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 Los Angeles and Long Beach? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
3% cheaper
Long Beach rent is 3% cheaper than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
$1,933/mo
Long Beach
Winner$1,871/mo
Typical rent runs $1,871 a month in Long Beach versus $1,933 in Los Angeles, so Long Beach is 3% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $62, or $744 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 Long Beach? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
7% higher
Long Beach's median income is 7% higher than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
$81,939
Long Beach
Winner$87,430
Median household income is $87,430 in Long Beach versus $81,939 in Los Angeles, so typical pay runs 7% higher in Long Beach (about $5,491 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
16% lower crime
Los Angeles's crime index is 16% lower than Long Beach
Los Angeles
Winner158 (100 = avg)
Long Beach
187 (100 = avg)
Los Angeles's crime index is 158 versus 187 in Long Beach (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 16% lower in Los Angeles. 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, Los Angeles 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
Los Angeles and Long Beach are about even on typical weather.
Los Angeles
76°F avg · 83°F highs · comfort 100/100
Long Beach
75°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Los Angeles averages about 76°F (83°F highs); Long Beach averages about 75°F (81°F highs). Los Angeles sits near 76°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Long Beach sits near 75°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
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
Los Angeles is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 16% lower than Long Beach (158 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
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Long Beach is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 3% 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.
Long Beach is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 7% higher here ($87,430). Start with Long Beach if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Los Angeles leads on safety (46/100 vs 41/100 in Long Beach). Typical rent is $1,933 in Los Angeles and $1,871 in Long Beach; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
With only $62 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Typical rent stays $1,871 in Long Beach and $1,933 in Los Angeles.
Between Los Angeles and Long Beach, Los Angeles is ahead on safety — 46/100 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
Quotes and listings for Long Beach when you're ready to act.
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Los Angeles and Long Beach, plus other cities in CA.
