City comparison
No. Long Beach's crime index is 187 versus 265 in Portland, and its violent crime index is 189 versus 207, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Portland is cheaper. Median rent is $1,655 a month versus $1,871 in Long Beach.
Safety is where Portland and Long Beach split most clearly. Long Beach scores 78 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,655 in Portland and $1,871 in Long Beach.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. Portland is the easier city on typical rent, but Long Beach can still be the better daily fit depending on schools, safety, and climate. Both are defensible choices for different reasons.
The crime gap is citywide. Long Beach has rougher pockets and Portland has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Portland and Long Beach are 846 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,655 a month in Portland to $1,871 a month in Long Beach, up $216 a month (13%).
Median household income goes from $90,919 in Portland to $87,430 in Long Beach, down $3,489 (4%).
The crime index goes from 265 in Portland to 187 in Long Beach, down 78 points (29%).
The move
Long Beach and Portland are 846 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,871 a month in Long Beach to $1,655 a month in Portland, down $216 a month (12%).
Median household income goes from $87,430 in Long Beach to $90,919 in Portland, up $3,489 (4%).
The crime index goes from 187 in Long Beach to 265 in Portland, up 78 points (42%).
Portland, OR
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 Portland and Long Beach? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
12% cheaper
Portland rent is 12% cheaper than Long Beach
Portland
Winner$1,655/mo
Long Beach
$1,871/mo
Typical rent runs $1,655 a month in Portland versus $1,871 in Long Beach, so Portland is 12% 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 $2,592, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Portland still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Long Beach.
Planning to buy in Portland? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
4% higher
Portland's median income is 4% higher than Long Beach
Portland
Winner$90,919
Long Beach
$87,430
Median household income is $90,919 in Portland versus $87,430 in Long Beach, so typical pay runs 4% higher in Portland (about $3,489 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
29% lower crime
Long Beach's crime index is 29% lower than Portland
Portland
265 (100 = avg)
Long Beach
Winner187 (100 = avg)
Long Beach's crime index is 187 versus 265 in Portland (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 29% lower in Long Beach. 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, Long Beach is the easier city. Portland can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
16% more comfortable
Long Beach weather is 16% more comfortable than Portland
Portland
60°F avg · 68°F highs · comfort 86/100
Long Beach
Winner76°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Portland averages about 60°F (68°F highs); Long Beach averages about 76°F (81°F highs). Portland averages around 60°F. Long Beach sits near 76°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Long Beach scores 16% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Portland if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Portland is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 12% cheaper here at about $1,655 a month. Choose Portland if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Portland is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 4% higher here ($90,919). Start with Portland if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick Long Beach if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (76°F) beat Portland on this page's weather index by 16%. Portland may pay more or cost less, but Long Beach is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Long Beach is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 29% lower than Portland (187 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
Portland carries the heavier crime signal on this page (30/100 safety vs 41/100 in Long Beach). That 11-point spread matters more than the $216 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Safety still diverges (41/100 in Long Beach vs 30/100 in Portland), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Typical rent stays $1,655 in Portland and $1,871 in Long Beach.
Pick Long Beach when you want the stronger safety signal (41/100). Otherwise, Portland's case rests on a Portland ZIP you trust at $1,655 rent.
Common questions
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Next steps
Quotes and listings for Portland when you're ready to act.
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Portland and Long Beach, plus other cities in OR and CA.
