Is Long Beach cheaper than Bakersfield?

No. Bakersfield is cheaper: typical rent is $1,472 a month versus $1,871 in Long Beach — 21% lower. Median household income is $87,430 in Long Beach compared with $80,540 in Bakersfield, so Long Beach has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Long Beach or Bakersfield?

Bakersfield is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 122 in Long Beach — 74% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Long Beach or Bakersfield?

School composites are close: A- in Long Beach and A- in Bakersfield. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

New search

City comparison

Long Beach, CA vs Bakersfield, CA

Long Beach, CA versus Bakersfield, 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 $1,871 a month in Long Beach and $1,472 in Bakersfield, and median household income lands at $87,430 versus $80,540. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Long Beach takes job market and weather, while Bakersfield takes affordability and safety. The widest gap is crime index, where Bakersfield leads by 74% — 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 Long Beach can feel further apart than Long Beach and Bakersfield do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Long Beach and Bakersfield reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Long Beach report Full Bakersfield report

Long Beach, CA

Rent: $1,871/mo
Median income: $87,430
Crime index: 122
Schools: A-
Weather: 79°F

Bakersfield, CA

Rent: $1,472/mo
Median income: $80,540
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 86°F

Rent

21% cheaper

Bakersfield rent is 21% cheaper than Long Beach

Long Beach

$1,871/mo

Bakersfield

Winner

$1,472/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,472 a month in Bakersfield versus $1,871 in Long Beach, so Bakersfield is 21% cheaper. That's roughly $399/month back in your pocket — $4,788/year. Over five years that's $23,940 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Long Beach, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Bakersfield is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

9% higher

Long Beach's median income is 9% higher than Bakersfield

Long Beach

Winner

$87,430

Bakersfield

$80,540

What this means for your life

Median household income is $87,430 in Long Beach versus $80,540 in Bakersfield, so typical pay runs 9% higher in Long Beach — about $6,890 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

74% lower crime

Bakersfield's crime index is 74% lower than Long Beach

Long Beach

122 (100 = avg)

Bakersfield

Winner

32 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Bakersfield's crime index is 32 versus 122 in Long Beach (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 74% lower in Bakersfield. 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, Bakersfield is the easier city. Long Beach can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Long Beach and Bakersfield are about even on school scores.

Long Beach

A- · 84/100

Bakersfield

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Long Beach, A- in Bakersfield). 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

30% more comfortable

Long Beach weather is 30% more comfortable than Bakersfield

Long Beach

Winner

79°F typical

Bakersfield

86°F typical

What this means for your life

Long Beach scores 30% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 79°F in Long Beach and 86°F in Bakersfield. Long Beach reads as warm weather most of the year; Bakersfield reads as hot, long summers. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Long Beach is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Bakersfield can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Long Beach

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 9% higher ($87,430), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 79°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Long Beach report →

Fit check

Who should choose Bakersfield

Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy

Bakersfield is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 21% cheaper here at about $1,472 a month. Choose Bakersfield if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Bakersfield is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 74% lower than Long Beach (32 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.

Open the Bakersfield report →

Bottom line

Long Beach vs Bakersfield, called

If safety is your priority, Bakersfield is the clear choice.

If weather matters more to you, Long Beach pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Bakersfield offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Long Beach vs Bakersfield FAQ

Is Long Beach cheaper than Bakersfield?: No. Bakersfield is cheaper: typical rent is $1,472 a month versus $1,871 in Long Beach — 21% lower. Median household income is $87,430 in Long Beach compared with $80,540 in Bakersfield, so Long Beach has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Long Beach or Bakersfield?: Bakersfield is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 122 in Long Beach — 74% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Long Beach or Bakersfield?: School composites are close: A- in Long Beach and A- in Bakersfield. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

Ready to move to Bakersfield?

Find apartments →Get a mortgage rate →

Next steps