Long Beach vs Washington: Cost of Living (2026)

A side-by-side comparison of Long Beach, CA and Washington, DC, using US Census Bureau data.

MetricLong Beach, CAWashington, DC
Population466,742671,803
Median household income$76,132$101,722
Median home value$649,300$705,000
Median rent (/mo)$1,571$1,748

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022) — SAMPLE. Highlighted cell = more affordable / higher income.

Comparing Long Beach, CA and Washington, DC comes down to what you value most. Long Beach has the lower median home value, and Long Beach has the lower median rent.

Washington has the higher median household income, which affects how far a paycheck stretches against local housing costs. The table below breaks down the key numbers side by side, all sourced from the US Census Bureau.

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to live in Long Beach or Washington?
By median home value, Long Beach is the cheaper of the two ($649,300 vs $705,000). Rent and income differ too — see the full comparison above.
Which has higher salaries, Long Beach or Washington?
Median household income is $76,132 in Long Beach versus $101,722 in Washington, per the US Census Bureau.

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