Long Beach CA vs Manchester NH — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Long Beach, CA

California · Population: 458,491

  • Median HH Income$83,969
  • Median Home Price$862,599
  • Unemployment6.5%
  • Bachelor's+34.8%

Manchester, NH

New Hampshire · Population: 115,415

  • Median HH Income$77,415
  • Median Home Price$441,257
  • Unemployment3.8%
  • Bachelor's+33.5%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Long Beach
458,491
Long Beach +
Manchester
115,415
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Long Beach
N/A
Manchester
N/A
Median Age
Long Beach
36.8
Long Beach +
Manchester
37.9
Foreign Born
Long Beach
24.7%
Long Beach +
Manchester
14.8%
White
Long Beach
41.6%
Manchester
76.7%
Manchester +
Black
Long Beach
11.9%
Long Beach +
Manchester
5.3%
Asian
Long Beach
12.8%
Long Beach +
Manchester
4.6%
Hispanic
Long Beach
43.4%
Long Beach +
Manchester
13.5%
Spanish at Home
Long Beach
N/A
Manchester
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Long Beach
$83,969
Long Beach +
Manchester
$77,415
Per Capita Income
Long Beach
$42,370
Manchester
$44,220
Manchester +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Long Beach
$77,230
Long Beach +
Manchester
$75,331
Unemployment Rate
Long Beach
6.5%
Manchester
3.8%
Manchester +
Poverty Rate
Long Beach
15.0%
Manchester
10.7%
Manchester +
Bachelor's Degree+
Long Beach
34.8%
Long Beach +
Manchester
33.5%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Long Beach
$862,599
Manchester
$441,257
Manchester +
Homeownership Rate
Long Beach
40.9%
Manchester
49.3%
Manchester +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Long Beach
503
Manchester
134
Manchester +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Long Beach
2388
Manchester
1048
Manchester +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Long Beach
27.4%
Long Beach +
Manchester
35.0%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Long Beach
11.7%
Manchester
9.4%
Manchester +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Long Beach
17.5%
Manchester
17.4%
Manchester +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Long Beach
11.9%
Manchester
9.9%
Manchester +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Long Beach
15.7%
Long Beach +
Manchester
16.4%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Long Beach
11.9%
Long Beach +
Manchester
12.9%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Long Beach
64.7°F
Manchester
49.2°F
Manchester +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Long Beach
12.3 in
Long Beach +
Manchester
44.6 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Long Beach
7.9 µg/m³
Manchester
5.9 µg/m³
Manchester +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Long Beach
75.0%
Manchester
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Long Beach
32.6 min
Manchester
25.7 min
Manchester +

Which City is Right for You?

Long Beach leads in median household income at $83,969, while manchester offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $441,257. On public safety, Manchester is safer with a violent crime rate of 134 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Long Beach. Manchester has a lower unemployment rate at 3.8%, and Manchester has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 5.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Long Beach scores better with a lower obesity rate of 27.4%.

Compare More Cities

About Long Beach & Manchester