City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Long Beach, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Long Beach - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

458,491
Residents
$83,969
Median income
$762,200
Median home
$3,236
Median rent (state)

Long Beach - the verdict

Nationally, Long Beach sits in the 66th percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

66th
percentile, household income
94th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
7th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Long Beach, CA

California's Long Beach is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 458,491 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Long Beach brings in $83,969 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.3%. Long Beach's housing stock carries a median value of $762,200, and the median resident age is 36.8 years. About 34.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 62.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 477 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 59% from five years earlier. Long Beach's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4155.2 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $3,236 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 25.7 minutes, with 68.3% driving alone and 14.4% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

458,491 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$83,969 /yr

Poverty 10.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Long Beach compare to other US cities?

Where Long Beach sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 66% higher than other cities
Home value 94% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at California, Long Beach ranks #413 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Long Beach's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

66thIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

66th percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Long Beach's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Long Beach's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 26 Avg. percentile National median
Long Beach's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Long Beach's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$762,200 6th percentile more affordable than 6% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Long Beach $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Long Beach, CA Long Beach, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Long Beach, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Long Beach, CA median $83,969/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Long Beach, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Long Beach, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
458,491
Median Income
$83,969
Median Home Value
$762,200
Median Age
36.8
Poverty Rate
10.3%
Labor force participation
62.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4155.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
676.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3478.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
78
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
445,000 residents450,000 residents455,000 residents460,000 residents465,000 residents470,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 465,566 residents 450,469 residents ▼ -3.2%
Long Beach's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
477
housing units authorized
Single-Family
185
detached homes
Multifamily
292
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,161
2020 840
2021 908
2022 494
2023 635
2024 477

Permit volume decreased 59% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
25.7 minutes
Drive Alone
68.3%
Carpool
8.6%
Public Transit
3.9%
Walk
2.6%
Work from Home
14.4%
Other
2.2%

Based on 228,393 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Long Beach sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,236/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Oakland
438,072 people
Bakersfield
408,366 people
Sacramento
524,802 people
Fresno
543,615 people
Anaheim
344,553 people
Stockton
320,470 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Long Beach's 458,491 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Virginia Beach, VA
457,066 people
Miami, FL
446,663 people
Raleigh, NC
470,763 people
Colorado Springs, CO
483,099 people
Omaha, NE
488,197 people
Minneapolis, MN
426,845 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Long Beach's $83,969 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Palos Hills, IL
$83,969 median income
Sand Point, OK
$83,973 median income
Burbank, IL
$83,975 median income
Hopelawn, NJ
$83,977 median income
Oologah, OK
$83,977 median income
Lakeside, MT
$83,958 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Long Beach, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Long Beach, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 41.6% 11.9% 12.8% 18.1% 13.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 43.4% White 41.6% Black or African American 11.9% Asian 12.8% American Indian 1.4% Native Hawaiian 0.6% Some other race 18.1% Two or more races 13.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Long Beach compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Long Beach (this city) 458,491 $83,969
Oakland 438,072 $97,369
Bakersfield 408,366 $77,397
Sacramento 524,802 $83,753
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Long Beach, CA?

What is the population of Long Beach, CA? +

Long Beach, CA counts 458,491 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Long Beach, CA? +

In Long Beach, the typical household earns $83,969 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Long Beach? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Long Beach; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Long Beach, CA safe? +

Long Beach has a total crime rate of 4155.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Long Beach, CA? +

Long Beach's median home value sits at $762,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.