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Long Beach vs Oakland

357 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4.4× in Oakland) and property tax bill (+66% in Oakland).

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Long Beach, CAA history townCalifornia · 455,548 people
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Oakland, CAA history townCalifornia · 439,418 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $650 more a month in Long Beach

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Long Beach$4,910/mo
Typical home $851K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $1,871/mo · Housing →
Oakland$4,260/mo
Typical home $709K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.92% · or rent about $1,979/mo · Housing →

The difference: $650 a month, about $7,900 a year, between Long Beach and Oakland.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Oakland places higher on 14 of 23 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Long BeachOakland
Snow a year0″0″
January low47°F—
July high77°F—
Growing season (days)365d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)92nd94th
Outdoors & history
Long BeachOakland
Conserved land6.3%10.5%
Settled18881852
National Register places1961
Archive photos2424
Famous people born here5450
Community
Long BeachOakland
Library hours a week38 hrs58 hrs
Colleges in town26
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

357 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Long Beach ↔ Oakland357 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Long BeachOakland
People
Population 455,548Highest 439,418Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1%Lowest CA: +6.1% +12.8%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 37.1±0.4Lowest about the CA average 37.9±0.4Highest about the CA average
Oakland and Long Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.9%±0.6Highest CA: 22% 18.9%±0.5Lowest CA: 22%
Long Beach and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.5%±0.4Lowest CA: 15.7% 14.7%±0.4Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 35.6%Lowest CA: 37.1% 48.7%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.7%±0.4Highest CA: 7.6% 6.4%±0.4Lowest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $87,430±$2kLowest 12% below CA $101,600±$2kHighest about the CA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $806,600±$10kLowest 10% above CA $929,900±$12kHighest 27% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,871±$20Lowest 8% below CA $1,979±$29Highest about the CA average
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,151Lowest about the CA average $8,575Highest 67% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.6%±1.5Highest CA: 55.3% 51.1%±1.8Lowest CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 14.8%Highest CA: 12% 13.4%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 41.2%Lowest CA: 55.9% 42.3%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1959Highest 17 yrs older than CA 1953Lowest 23 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 4% above CA 30 minLowest 4% above CA
Work from home 16.2%±0.8Lowest CA: 17.2% 26.5%±0.9Highest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 21%Lowest 25.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miHighest 9.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.83Lowest 1.12Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (16%)San Francisco (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in OaklandFew work in Long Beach
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 6.3%Lowest 10.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 23.7 miLowest 104.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 1.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 75Lowest 128Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 83.3Lowest 91.8Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #259 of 574 in CA#245 of 574 in CA
School district Long Beach Unified ROP · Intellectual Virtues Academy DistrictAIMS College Prep Middle District · Aspire Triumph Technology Academy District
High school in town Polytechnic HighOakland Technical High
Students per teacherat that high school 23.3Highest 17.5Lowest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Long Beach neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

New to Long Beach Schools

1 neighbor in Long Beach can answer.

Oakland neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Oakland’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Long Beach and Oakland

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Long Beach

Towns like Long Beach

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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