Is Long Beach California A Good Place To Live?

Many people look forward to moving to California as it is one of the best states in the US to stay in and bring up a family. People love the idea of living in California because of its favourable weather, scenic landscapes, numerous attractions and the overall quality of life. Long Beach is a city in Southern California that centrally lies between LA and Orange County, therefore moving to Long Beach is well worth considering.

Is Long Beach California a good place to live? Long Beach is a big town with a small town vibe. During summer, this city is a favourite tourist destination. It is similar to LA but shrunken to a size that’s more manageable. This city is a complete breath of fresh air and it offers residents adventure, arts & culture, sunshine and friendly locals.

Whether you’re planning on moving to California in the near future or just moving to Long Beach because of work purposes, you have come to this article because you want to know more about Long Beach.

What is the transport system like?
Are the schools good?
What are the best neighbourhoods to live in?

In this article, you will find all the information you need and much more.

In this article you will find out:

Is Long Beach a good place to Live?

Each neighbourhood in Long Beach is different. The smaller neighbourhoods typically have obvious advantages – lower crime levels, slower pace of life and lower cost of living. Not all neighbourhoods in this city are created equal; some are more preferred than others.

The 10 best neighbourhoods are Park Estates, The Plaza, City College Area, Alamitos Heights, Lakewood Village, Los Altos, Bixby Knolls, Los Cerritos Area, Naples-Marina Area, and El Dorado Park.

Less desirable neighbourhoods in the area include Airport Area, City of Signal Hill, Dominguez, Downtown, North Long Beach, North West Long Beach, Poly High District, West Side, Wilmington and Wrigley.

Overall, Long Beach has fewer crime levels than 13% of US cities; but the crime rate is still slightly above the national average.

For expats looking forward to living in Long Beach with their families, the schools in Long Beach are generally good. Long Beach Unified School District serves a major part of the city with public primary and secondary schools. There are also several private schools in the area that parents can choose from. California State University and Long Beach City College are the main public universities in this city.

This city has almost every kind of transport system. From awesome walkability and lanes for biking, Long Beach also has freeways, commuter rails, bus services, ports & freight services and its own airport. Long Beach’s geographical position makes it very easy for residents to travel to LA, Anaheim, Disneyland, and Santa Monica’s Pier during the weekend easily by road. Road trips are famous in California and most people love to drive around exploring the area.

Certainly living in California is like living on holiday. There’s always something to do in Long Beach or a new place to explore. This big city with a lovely small feel offers many things and this is what makes it such an awesome city to live in or visit. There are numerous restaurants, bars, and shopping centers, and being next to a beach presents an opportunity for multiple outdoor activities.

Is Long Beach a good place to work?

The biggest employers in Long Beach include Long Beach Unified School District, City of Long Beach, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Veterans Health Administration, California State University, Long Beach City College, Molina Healthcare, CSULB Research Foundation, Boeing, St. Mary Medical Center, US Postal Service and Verizon Communications.

Most of Long Beach residents are employed in the Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Manufacturing, Educational Services and Accommodation & Food Service industries.

As of March 31, 2019, the unemployment rate in Long Beach, CA stood at 4.2% which was higher than the national unemployment rate of 3.8%. But all in all, this city’s unemployment rate is generally low, meaning that it is not very hard to find employment.

An expat is bound to love working here as the wages in Long Beach are generally very good. The average salary here is $51,885. Individuals with a degree in Bachelor of Science earn $72,801 on average and those ones with a degree in Bachelor of Business Administration earn an average salary of $63,716.

Is Long Beach a good place to buy a house?

The medium property price in Long Beach, CA is $781,990 (as of February 2019). Home prices are highest in Naples-Marina Area, Park Estates, The Plaza and Bixby Knolls neighbourhoods.

It is possible to find a 1-bedroom home for sale going for $537,000, 3-bedroomed homes selling for $450,000-1,390,000 and a 5-bed going for $549,000-2,995,000.

For anyone planning to buy a home in Long Beach on the mortgage, the average mortgage interest rate is 4.3% per annum for 20 years. After purchasing a home, it is important to acquire home insurance. The cost of homeowners insurance in Long Beach, CA ranges between $542 and $734.
Average rent in this city is $1,983 as of May 2019. The least expensive neighbourhoods in the area in terms of rental properties are Addams, Cherry Manor and College Square. On the other hand, neighbourhoods with the highest rental charges are Queensway, Terminal Island and West End Long Beach.

Monthly rent for a 1-bed apartment in the city centre is $1,846.88 and $1,428.81 outside the centre. Three-bed apartments go for $2,904.55 per month in the city centre and $2,205 in the outskirts.

Is Long Beach a good place to retire?

Long Beach offers a good retirement spot for people seeking to stay in an outdoors-oriented area by the sea. There are great beaches, plenty of interesting residential neighbourhoods and a high walk score. Moreover, there are many cultural attractions and the healthcare facilities are top-notch.

What makes this city more viable as a retirement spot is the abundance of retirement homes in the area. Some popular retirement developments include Heavenly Helpers Home Care, Trusted Life Care, Artesia Christian Home, Regency Palms Long Beach, Villa Redondo and Crofton Manor Inn.

The cost of buying or renting a retirement home in the area varies from one neighbourhood to another, but in general, property prices are high in Long Beach. Rental prices for nursing homes range from $1,500 to $13,280 a month.

Retirement home care costs normally range from about $557 to $4,675 monthly, with a median cost of $2,090 a month. This is equal to an annual cost of almost $25,080.

Is Long Beach a good place to visit?

Located along a beautiful coastline with 1.144sq miles of water flowing through it, the city of Long Beach, CA is a paradise for ocean lovers. For anyone who craves the beach life in a reliable urban setting, this city may just be the ideal place to call home or to visit. Being the 36th largest US city and 7th largest city in California, it offers plenty of attractions and things to do.

For one, it is taco heaven. Long Beach has the highest percentage of eateries offering tacos than any other city in the US. This means that tacos are easily accessible.

Another lovely character is the wonderful coastal breeze that happens all year long. This city is as sunny as Los Angeles, but it beats LA’s painful summer heat. A cooling westerly sea breeze blows into Long Beach during summer, making the overall climate very lovely.

Aquarium of the Pacific is also located in Long Beach. This facility attracts more than 1.5 million visitors every year. Major attractions here are Shark Lagoons, Lorikeet Aviary, and June Keyes Penguin Habitat.

As the “Aquatic Capital of America”, as designated by its city council, the city of Long Beach prides itself in offering residents a chance to participate in sailing, diving, surfing, beach bumming, water polo and many other aquatic activities.

Catalina Island is a super-beautiful island located a ferry ride away from the city using the Catalina Express. Visitors get to enjoy the scenic views, hike the untapped island or snorkel in the sea.

Long Beach also offers a variety of hotels, B&BS and vacation rentals for visitors planning to stay in the city for several days.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the cost of Living in Long Beach, California?

Cost of living in this city is 43.3% higher than the US average. Monthly utilities i.e. water, electricity, heating & cooling, and garbage collection cost $145.61 per month. Utility bills can be paid online, via mail, home banking or in person. There are numerous credit card providers in the area where residents can purchase credit cards.

2. Is Long Beach a good place to invest in property?

Long Beach presents a solid opportunity for making profits in real estate because it has one of the busiest and biggest seaports worldwide. This means that the area offers numerous job opportunities, and consequently, people require long-term accommodation. Therefore, Long Beach is suitable for purchasing income properties and successfully renting them out.

3. Is Long Beach a good place to raise a family?

Though the cost of living in this city is relatively high, Long Beach offers a nice place to raise a family. There are plenty of kid-friendly activities, good amenities, above average schools, reliable transport links, and good quality of life in general.