Which city is safer, San Francisco or Long Beach?

Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 122 in San Francisco and 122 in Long Beach (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.

Which city has better schools, San Francisco or Long Beach?

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

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City comparison

San Francisco, CA vs Long Beach, CA

San Francisco, CA 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 $2,476 a month in San Francisco and $1,871 in Long Beach, and median household income lands at $140,970 versus $87,430. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

San Francisco takes job market and weather, while Long Beach takes affordability. The widest gap is median income, where San Francisco leads by 61% — 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 San Francisco can feel further apart than San Francisco and Long Beach do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the San Francisco and Long Beach reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full San Francisco report Full Long Beach report

San Francisco, CA

Rent: $2,476/mo
Median income: $140,970
Crime index: 122
Schools: A-
Weather: 63°F

Long Beach, CA

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

Rent

24% cheaper

Long Beach rent is 24% cheaper than San Francisco

San Francisco

$2,476/mo

Long Beach

Winner

$1,871/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,871 a month in Long Beach versus $2,476 in San Francisco, so Long Beach is 24% cheaper. That's roughly $605/month back in your pocket — $7,260/year. Over five years that's $36,300 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 San Francisco, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Long Beach is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

61% higher

San Francisco's median income is 61% higher than Long Beach

San Francisco

Winner

$140,970

Long Beach

$87,430

What this means for your life

Median household income is $140,970 in San Francisco versus $87,430 in Long Beach, so typical pay runs 61% higher in San Francisco — about $53,540 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, San Francisco is the stronger labor market on paper. Long Beach can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

Neck and neck

San Francisco and Long Beach are about even on crime index.

San Francisco

122 (100 = avg)

Long Beach

122 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

San Francisco and Long Beach post similar crime indexes (122 vs 122, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.

School scores

Neck and neck

San Francisco and Long Beach are about even on school scores.

San Francisco

A- · 84/100

Long Beach

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in San Francisco, 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

6% more comfortable

San Francisco weather is 6% more comfortable than Long Beach

San Francisco

Winner

63°F typical

Long Beach

79°F typical

What this means for your life

San Francisco scores 6% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 63°F in San Francisco and 79°F in Long Beach. San Francisco reads as mild, livable temperatures; 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, San Francisco is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose San Francisco

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 61% higher ($140,970), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 63°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the San Francisco report →

Fit check

Who should choose Long Beach

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Long Beach

Long Beach is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 24% cheaper here at about $1,871 a month. Choose Long Beach if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Open the Long Beach report →

Bottom line

San Francisco vs Long Beach, called

If the job market is your priority, San Francisco is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Long Beach pulls ahead.

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

Common questions

San Francisco vs Long Beach FAQ

Is San Francisco cheaper than Long Beach?: No. Long Beach is cheaper: typical rent is $1,871 a month versus $2,476 in San Francisco — 24% lower. Median household income is $140,970 in San Francisco compared with $87,430 in Long Beach, so San Francisco has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, San Francisco or Long Beach?: Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 122 in San Francisco and 122 in Long Beach (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.
Which city has better schools, San Francisco or Long Beach?: School composites are close: A- in San Francisco and A- in Long Beach. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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