City comparison
Denver, CO versus Long Beach, CA is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,831 a month in Denver and $1,871 in Long Beach, and median household income lands at $94,718 versus $87,430. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Denver takes affordability, job market, and weather, while Long Beach takes safety. The widest gap is crime index, where Long Beach leads by 11% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.
Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Denver can feel further apart than Denver and Long Beach do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Denver and Long Beach reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Denver, CO
Long Beach, CA
Rent
2% cheaper
Denver rent is 2% cheaper than Long Beach
Denver
Winner$1,831/mo
Long Beach
$1,871/mo
Typical rent runs $1,831 a month in Denver versus $1,871 in Long Beach, so Denver is 2% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $40, or $480 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.
Median income
8% higher
Denver's median income is 8% higher than Long Beach
Denver
Winner$94,718
Long Beach
$87,430
Median household income is $94,718 in Denver versus $87,430 in Long Beach, so typical pay runs 8% higher in Denver — about $7,288 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
11% lower crime
Long Beach's crime index is 11% lower than Denver
Denver
137 (100 = avg)
Long Beach
Winner122 (100 = avg)
Long Beach's crime index is 122 versus 137 in Denver (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 11% lower in Long Beach. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Long Beach, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Denver. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
School scores
Neck and neck
Denver and Long Beach are about even on school scores.
Denver
A- · 84/100
Long Beach
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Denver, A- in Long Beach). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.
Typical weather
3% more comfortable
Denver weather is 3% more comfortable than Long Beach
Denver
Winner78°F typical
Long Beach
79°F typical
Denver scores 3% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 78°F in Denver and 79°F in Long Beach. Denver reads as warm weather most of the year; Long Beach reads as warm weather most of the year. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Long Beach's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Denver is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
Denver is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 2% cheaper here at about $1,831 a month. Choose Denver if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 8% higher ($94,718), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 78°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Fit check
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
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 11% lower than Denver (122 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
If safety is your priority, Long Beach is the clear choice.
If the job market matters more to you, Denver pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Denver offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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