2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Long Beach, CA vs Santa Cruz, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Santa Cruz older or younger than people in Long Beach?
- The Median Age in Santa Cruz is 6.9 years younger than in Long Beach.

Are housing costs cheaper in Santa Cruz or Long Beach?
- Santa Cruz housing costs are 71.8% more expensive than Long Beach housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Santa Cruz or Long Beach?
- The average commute for residents of Santa Cruz is 6.9 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Long Beach.

Things to do in Long Beach?
Long Beach, California makes for an ideal destination for beach lovers, boasting miles of gorgeous coastline. Visitors can spend the day in the sand or enjoy a variety of outdoor activities like kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. The city also offers numerous cultural attractions such as the Long Beach Museum of Art and aquarium, plus plenty of shopping destinations downtown and along Shoreline Drive. In addition to its beaches, Long Beach has a lively nightlife filled with bars and clubs, making it a great choice for those who want to experience all that this vibrant city has to offer.

Things to do in Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz, California is an incredible city located in the heart of the Monterey Bay area. This beautiful city offers plenty for visitors to explore such as the stunning natural beaches or the charming downtown area. Residents here also take advantage of all the outdoor activities available at Santa Cruz Boardwalk and Beach, Wilder Ranch State Park, and Seymour Marine Discovery Center. With its excellent school systems, thriving businesses, and numerous recreational opportunities, it's no wonder why so many people choose to make Santa Cruz their home.

 Long Beach, CASanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock62,714329,725,481
 Median Income$71,150  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock2938.4
 Avg. Home Price$739,900  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.5%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time30.36  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Long Beach    45 Reviews

Local born and bred. This place is going down the drain. Crime is up, housing is up, yuppies finding nothing wrong with it since they want to validate spending 3k on a 2  More

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Angelique · 
Over 5 years ago

I love Long Beach. I especially shoreline village and the aquarium of the pacific. The only big problem here (for me) is crime. Otherwise, nice  More

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Over 7 years ago

The cost of living is extremely high and there are way too many apartments or multi unit homes which have no parking. But with everyone living on top of each other it  More

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Reviews for Santa Cruz    44 Reviews

I lived in the Santa Cruz area for 20 years. UCSC alum. Our kids were born there. There are wonderful things about Santa Cruz, but also many serious problems that we  More

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Over 5 years ago

I have been here for four generations! My kids are the fifth. I guess that should tell you how wonderful it is here, at least for us. It's so cool to have world class  More

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I was born over the hill in San Jose area, and as a kid I loved coming over to the boardwalk. Santa Cruz has always been and always will be a town of diversity,  More

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