City Report · CA

Long Beach

Pop. 455,548·273rd most expensive in California·Rental market data updated monthly for Long Beach, CA

Median rent (all units)

$2,412/mo

Year-over-Year

+2.5%

Month-over-Month

+0.3%

vs US Median

+$480

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Long Beach · $2,412

More expensive than 77% of US cities · National median $1,932/mo

Rent Reality Score

67/100

Good value

OverheatedFairGreat value

Rents are 9% below what Long Beach's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.

Actual rent

$2,412/mo

Expected by trend

$2,642/mo

The Rent Reality Score compares today's median rent to where Long Beach's own long-run trajectory projects it should be. See the full rankings →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,864

1 BR

$2,095

2 BR

$2,645

3 BR

$3,372

4 BR+

$3,733

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$2,645/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,412 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.

Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

January. Asking rents in Long Beach usually run 0.5% below trend in January and 0.5% above it in September, about $24 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in Long Beach is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.

Past year vs. the rest of California

Rent in Long Beach changed +2.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in Long Beach rose 27% while median household income rose 38.7% ($63,017 to $87,430). Income kept ahead of rent.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in Long Beach is 29.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 7 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($87,430) is $2,186 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,095); a 2-bedroom is $2,645.

Spread across ZIP codes

The priciest of 11 ZIP codes in Long Beach, 90808 ($2,949/mo), costs 1.5 times the cheapest, 90806 ($1,909/mo).

Cheaper nearby

Lynwood, 9 miles away, rents for 15% less ($2,045/mo), about $4,400 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Long Beach. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$28,944/yr

At $2,412/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (2.5% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+2.5% YoY, +0.3% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Long Beach, CA is majority renter-occupied, 35.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

455,548

Median income

$87,430

Median age

37.1

Renters

58.8%

Age distribution

19.9%

26.6%

27.5%

12.5%

13.5%

Under 1819.9%

18–3426.6%

35–5427.5%

55–6412.5%

65+13.5%

Gender

49.1%

50.9%

Male49.1%

Female50.9%

Race & ethnicity

38.3%

43.8%

13.1%

White38.3%

Black11.8%

Hispanic43.8%

Asian13.1%

Education (25+)

17.6%

18.3%

28.5%

35.6%

No HS diploma17.6%

HS diploma18.3%

Some college28.5%

Bachelor's+35.6%

Housing tenure

41.2%

58.8%

Owner41.2%

Renter58.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How Long Beach, CA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,950 → $2,412

up 23.7%

Income

$71,150 → $87,430

up 22.9%

Population

466,565 → 455,548

down 2.4%

Renter share

59.5% → 58.8%

-0.7 pts

Bachelor's+

32.8% → 35.6%

+2.8 pts

Median age

35.9 → 37.1

+1.2 yrs

Across the past five years, the going rent in Long Beach, CA has shifted from $1,950 to $2,412, up 23.7% since 2021. Census figures show median household income at $87,430 today, compared with $71,150 five years earlier. Census counts show Long Beach, CA losing about 11,017 residents over the five-year window, down 2.4% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 32.8% to 35.6% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.

Community

Discussions about Long Beach

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View Long Beach rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Long Beach on your salary?

At $2,412/mo, how Long Beach rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $111,486/yr · Rent = 26% income

affordable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $79,154/yr · Rent = 36.6% income

stretched

Police Officer

Avg $91,179/yr · Rent = 31.7% income

stretched

Software Developer

Avg $162,970/yr · Rent = 17.8% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $208,235/yr · Rent = 13.9% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $74,116/yr · Rent = 39.1% income

stretched

Truck Driver

Avg $66,918/yr · Rent = 43.3% income

rent-burdened

Electrician

Avg $82,482/yr · Rent = 35.1% income

stretched

By apartment size

Long Beach rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Long Beach. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Long Beach

About renting in Long Beach, CA

Last updated: October 17, 2026

The median rent in Long Beach is $2,412/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,864/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,645/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,095/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,372/mo.

At 33% of local median household income ($87,430/yr), Long Beach ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in Long Beach?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $96,000/year (about $46/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $2,412/mo in Long Beach. The local median household income is $87,430/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in Long Beach?

Rent in Long Beach has risen 2.5% over the past year as of September 2026. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.

When is the cheapest time to rent in Long Beach?

Asking rents in Long Beach are usually lowest in January, about 0.5% below their yearly trend, and highest in September, about 0.5% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $24 a month. This pattern comes from 11 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in Long Beach?

No. From 2019 to 2024, rent in Long Beach rose 27% while median household income rose 38.7%, from $63,017 to $87,430. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

Which Long Beach neighborhoods have the lowest rent?

The most affordable ZIP codes in Long Beach are 90806 ($1,909/mo), 90813 ($1,923/mo), and 90805 ($2,168/mo). Citywide, the median rent is $2,412/mo.

How does Long Beach rent compare to other cities in California?

Long Beach is one of the more affordable among California cities for rent, ranking #273 of 382 tracked cities at $2,412/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in Long Beach changed +2.5%, against a typical +3.4% across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks.