Santa Fe Springs and Long Beach receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Santa Fe Springs | Long Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,871 | 455,548 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,238 | $87,430 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,073 | $44,575 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,130/sq mi | 8,990/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $659,900 | $806,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,033 | $1,871 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 41.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.6% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.0% | 35.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 19 | 567 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -53.7% | 15.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.9" | 12.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.2 min | 32.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 70 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.62 | 24.41 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.0% | 59.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Santa Fe Springs
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Long Beach
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Santa Fe Springs, CA · Long Beach, CA · How this is calculated: methodology