Whether you're considering relocating or simply planning a visit, the cities of El Paso, TX, and Long Beach, CA, each offer unique characteristics. From diverse business sectors and cultural attractions to distinct climates and cost of living, understanding what sets them apart is essential. This article focuses on key aspects including: crime and safety, weather, cost of living, education, work and economy, infrastructure, industries, employers, real estate, neighborhoods, transportation, tax, culture, sports, geographical conditions, and health care.
Distance between
El Paso, TX and
Long Beach, CA : 695.2 miles
El Paso's population is larger by 49%. Its population has grown by 114,753 people (20.4%) since 2000. The population of Long Beach has decreased by 5,460 people (1.2%) during that time.
In terms of crime and safety, both cities report statistics above the national average. However, El Paso is generally considered safer than Long Beach, consistently ranking among the safest large cities in the U.S. El Paso's crime rate tends to be significantly lower than in Long Beach. Tourists and potential relocatees, particularly those with families, may find this factor influential in their decision making.
City-data.com crime index counts serious crimes and violent crime more heavily. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 301.1)
City-data.com crime index counts serious crimes and violent crime more heavily. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 301.1)
Sex Offenders
According to our data, there are 1,274 registered sex offenders living in El Paso and 807 registered sex offenders living in . The ratio of residents to sex offenders in El Paso is 536 to 1; the ratio in Long Beach is 583 to 1. The number of registered sex offenders compared to the number of residents in El Paso is near to than in Long Beach.
Cost of Living
Living costs are generally higher in Long Beach. As a California city, it is known for high housing costs, utility prices, and general consumer price level. El Paso, however, is one of the most affordable cities in the U.S. Considering housing, groceries, healthcare, and utilities, the cost of living is generally lower in El Paso compared to the national average.
Income Tax
As previously mentioned, Texas does not levy a state income tax, rendering El Paso a good option for those seeking tax savings. On the contrary, California possesses one of the highest state income tax rates with a maximum rate of 13.3%, potentially impacting the net income of residents in Long Beach.
Property Tax
El Paso has a relatively high property tax rate compared to the national average. In contrast, despite higher real estate prices, Long Beach benefits from relatively low property tax rates due the state of California's Proposition 13.
Sales Tax
Texas does not have a state income tax, but it has a sales tax rate of 8.25% which includes 2% for the city of El Paso. On the other hand, California has a sales tax rate of 7.25%, and Long Beach adds a further 1% city tax, bringing the total to 8.25%.
Income
Type
El Paso
Long Beach
Estimated median household income
$51,241
$73,905
Estimated per capita income
$25,670
$37,217
Cost of living index (U.S. average is 100)
82.2
142
If you make $50,000 in El Paso, you will have to make $86,375 in Long Beach to maintain the same standard of living.
Geographical Conditions
El Paso is located in the Chihuahuan Desert, offering desert landscapes and mountain vistas. Long Beach, on the other hand, boasts sandy beaches, waterfront views, and is close to the scenic beauty of Southern California’s coastal areas.
Both cities cater to diversity in educational choices. In El Paso you will find the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), El Paso Community College, and various vocational institutes. Conversely, Long Beach is home to California State University, Long Beach, and Long Beach City College. Both cities offer solid educational opportunities, but Long Beach institutions generally rank higher.
Economically, both cities are diverse. El Paso's economy revolves around sectors such as military, education, government services, and health care whereas Long Beach hosts the nation’s second busiest seaport and has a thriving economy based on trade, manufacturing, health care, and education. However, it's worth considering that Long Beach generally offers higher pay rates.
Biggest Employers
The largest employers in El Paso include Fort Bliss and the El Paso Independent School District. In Long Beach, some of the biggest employers include the Long Beach Unified School District and the City of Long Beach. Both cities have numerous opportunities for job seekers in diverse sectors.
There were 1,961 building permits issued in El Paso in 2012 (1005 less than in 2011) compared to 304 building permits issued in Long Beach in 2012 (238 more than in 2011).
In El Paso (El Paso County), 65.5% voted for Democrats and 33.2% for Republicans in 2012 Presidential Election. In Long Beach (Los Angeles County), 69.7% voted for Democrats and 27.8% for Republicans.
Elections
Type
Democrats
Republicans
Other
Year
El Paso
Long Beach
El Paso
Long Beach
El Paso
Long Beach
2020
66.8%
71.0%
31.6%
26.9%
1.6%
2.1%
2016
69.1%
72.0%
26.0%
22.5%
4.9%
5.5%
2012
65.5%
69.7%
33.2%
27.8%
1.3%
2.4%
2008
66.0%
69.2%
33.4%
28.8%
0.6%
1.9%
2004
56.2%
63.3%
43.3%
35.7%
0.5%
1.0%
2000
57.9%
63.6%
39.8%
32.4%
2.3%
4.0%
1996
62.3%
59.3%
32.1%
31.0%
5.6%
9.7%
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregation
Type
Adherents
Congregations
Religion
El Paso
Long Beach
El Paso
Long Beach
CATHOLIC CHURCH
43.2%
36.1%
11.3%
4.7%
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
3.3%
1.0%
26.6%
9.0%
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
0.3%
0.5%
1.6%
2.4%
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
0.1%
0.4%
1.0%
1.4%
MUSLIM ESTIMATE
0.1%
0.7%
0.2%
1.0%
Weather
The two cities present different weather patterns. El Paso typically experiences hot summers and relatively mild winters, making it a great destination for those who enjoy the sun. On the contrary, Long Beach benefits from a Mediterranean climate, offering warm and dry summers, and mild, wet winters. Both cities boast a high number of sunny days annually which can be appealing for visitors fond of outdoor activities.
Weather and climate
Type
El Paso
Long Beach
Temperature - Average
64.6°F
65.3°F
Humidity - Average morning or afternoon humidity
42.7%
70.4%
Humidity - Differences between morning and afternoon humidity
42.8%
27%
Humidity - Maximum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
59.8%
79%
Humidity - Minimum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
17%
52%
Precipitation - Yearly average
9.4 in
13.1 in
Snowfall - Yearly average
10.7 in
0 in
Clouds - Number of days clear of clouds
31.8%
26.4%
Sunshine amount - Average
89.4%
78.4%
Sunshine amount - Differences during a year
13.9%
22%
Sunshine amount - Maximum monthly
89.3%
85%
Sunshine amount - Minimum monthly
75.4%
63%
Wind speed - Average
8.9 mph
6.1 mph
Average climate in El Paso, Texas
Average climate in Long Beach, California
Air pollution
Type
AQI
CO
NO2
OZONE
PB
PM10
PM25
SO2
Year
El Paso
Long Beach
El Paso
Long Beach
El Paso
Long Beach
El Paso
Long Beach
El Paso
Long Beach
El Paso
Long Beach
El Paso
Long Beach
El Paso
Long Beach
2018
139
124
0.17
0.37
14.0
17.2
32.0
22.1
N/A
0.008
35.7
27.5
9.2
13.5
N/A
0.7
2017
173
122
0.19
0.36
13.0
18.1
30.5
23.2
N/A
0.007
40.4
26.7
9.5
14.5
0.5
0.8
2016
148
115
0.17
0.36
12.6
18.5
30.6
21.9
N/A
0.007
35.2
24.1
9.2
11.6
0.5
0.9
2015
112
111
0.18
0.38
12.7
19.9
30.8
22.5
N/A
0.005
31.2
25.0
8.0
13.9
0.5
0.9
2014
157
127
0.13
0.50
12.8
20.3
30.0
22.0
N/A
0.007
40.3
26.7
9.7
14.3
0.4
1.3
2013
211
126
0.23
0.48
14.1
20.0
30.5
24.7
N/A
0.005
43.9
32.3
10.8
14.6
0.4
1.0
2012
229
132
0.30
0.48
15.9
19.3
31.6
24.4
N/A
0.004
40.2
30.8
11.6
14.1
0.4
0.6
2011
221
119
0.23
0.43
15.9
20.2
31.2
23.4
N/A
0.006
34.7
28.4
11.6
15.6
0.5
1.2
2010
211
115
0.25
0.38
15.3
20.8
29.4
22.7
N/A
0.011
28.8
24.1
7.9
11.9
0.3
0.7
2009
117
132
0.23
0.50
15.4
21.0
29.5
22.0
N/A
0.008
28.6
27.7
8.3
13.1
0.3
1.1
2008
210
124
0.25
0.53
15.2
20.8
30.1
23.2
0.017
0.008
34.6
27.2
9.7
21.6
0.6
1.0
2007
134
109
0.28
0.60
13.9
20.3
30.6
21.1
0.019
0.010
40.5
N/A
8.4
N/A
0.4
1.4
2006
241
119
0.37
0.76
14.3
21.4
30.6
19.9
0.018
0.005
55.0
N/A
11.1
N/A
0.3
1.7
2005
159
108
0.43
0.74
13.1
24.3
29.6
20.5
0.013
0.011
44.5
N/A
9.6
N/A
0.6
2.7
2004
183
125
0.38
0.56
13.5
28.0
29.2
22.9
0.020
0.012
47.3
N/A
8.2
N/A
0.4
2.0
2003
278
130
0.46
0.83
15.5
28.1
29.5
22.4
0.039
0.032
60.4
N/A
10.8
N/A
0.6
1.1
2002
203
120
0.43
0.90
16.4
29.6
30.5
22.2
0.034
0.011
53.3
N/A
11.0
N/A
0.4
2.8
2001
139
124
0.51
0.81
15.5
30.3
28.7
21.5
0.046
0.011
N/A
N/A
9.8
N/A
0.7
3.3
2000
145
142
0.67
0.71
17.8
31.5
27.8
19.6
0.072
0.018
N/A
N/A
9.1
N/A
1.0
2.0
Natural disasters
Type
El Paso
Long Beach
Tornado activity compared to U.S. average
4.2%
18.3%
Earthquake activity compared to U.S. average
524.4%
6,875.1%
Natural disasters compared to U.S. average
11%
57%
Transportation
Public transportation systems are well-developed in both cities. Long Beach offers the Metro Rail for easy commuting to downtown Los Angeles and other surrounding areas. El Paso has a bus system provided by Sun Metro, and a streetcar system servicing downtown.
Transport
Type
El Paso
Long Beach
Amtrak stations
1
1
Amtrak stations nearby
1
3
FAA registered aircraft
331
312
FAA registered aircraft manufacturers and dealers
6
29
Means of transportation to work
Type
El Paso
Long Beach
Bicycle
0.3%
0.5%
Bus
1.3%
3.3%
Carpooled
11.2%
9.8%
Car alone
83.4%
81.8%
Motorcycle
0.2%
0.2%
Subway
0%
0.5%
Walked
1.6%
2.8%
Average travel time to work
Type
El Paso
Long Beach
Average
25.1 min
30.7 min
Other means
22.2 min
28.5 min
Public transportation
46.4 min
46.4 min
Private vehicle occupancy
Type
El Paso
Long Beach
Average
1.2
1.1
Drove alone
88.5%
89.7%
In 2 person carpool
7.9%
8.5%
In 3 person carpool
2.1%
1.4%
In 4 person carpool
0.7%
0.3%
In 5-6 person carpool
0.7%
0%
How many people usually rode to work in the car, truck or van.
Real Estate
Real estate prices are significantly higher in Long Beach. Median home prices are way above national average, making it a more costly market for potential relocatees. Conversely, El Paso's housing market is considered more affordable with home prices substantially lower than the national average.
Neighborhoods
Both cities offer a variety of neighborhoods to suit all lifestyles. El Paso boasts neighborhoods such as Kern Place and Sunset Heights known for their charming homes and sense of community. Long Beach neighborhoods like Alamitos Beach, Belmont Shore, and Downtown offer close proximity to the beach and vibrant nightlife.
Houses and residents
Type
El Paso
Long Beach
Houses
261,779
179,856
Average household size (people)
3
2.8
Median year apartment built
1982
1964
Median year house/condo built
1985
1954
Length of stay in the house since moving in
14.7 years
15.7 years
Houses occupied
242,529 (92.6%)
172,599 (96%)
Houses occupied by owners
147,788 (60.9%)
69,470 (40.2%)
Houses occupied by renters
94,741 (39.1%)
103,129 (59.8%)
Median rent asked for vacant for-rent units
$570.82
$1,057
Median monthly housing costs
$939
$1,692
Median price asked for vacant for-sale houses and condos
$227,007
$520,992
Estimated median house or condo value
$152,800
$693,600
Median numbers of rooms
5.4
4.2
Median number of rooms in apartments
4.3
3.6
Median number of rooms in houses and condos
6.2
5.5
Median house price - detached houses
$187,761
$900,658
Median house price - in 2-unit structures
Over $1,000,000
$823,515
Median house price - in 3-to-4-unit structures
$75,782
$495,928
Median house price - in 5 or more unit structures
$266,003
$488,399
Median house price - mobile homes
$43,095
$333,777
Median house price - Townhouses or other attached units
$149,459
$634,684
Median house price - All housing units
$186,951
$805,766
Median house age
38
62
Renting percentage
39.6%
58.4%
Housing density (houses/condos per square mile)
1,051
3,565.7
House value disparities
32.7%
21.3%
Household income disparities
46.6%
44.7%
Median household income for houses/condes with a mortgage
$74,665
$116,421
Median household income for apartments without a mortgage
$52,954
$79,392
Housing units without a mortgage
1,889 (2.2%)
394 (0.8%)
Housing units with both a second mortgage and home equity loan
2,956 (3.4%)
3,069 (6.2%)
Housing units with a mortgage
84,973 (97.8%)
49,321 (99.2%)
Housing units with a home equity loan
250 (0.3%)
48 (0.1%)
Housing units with a second mortgage
3,635 (4.2%)
3,709 (7.5%)
House/condo owner moved in on average (years ago)
14
15
House/condo renter moved in on average (years ago)
1
3
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities
2%
2.6%
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities
2%
0.4%
Housing units in structures
Housing units in structures
El Paso
Long Beach
One, detached
67.7%
40.2%
One, attached
4.4%
4.9%
Two
2.4%
5.3%
3 or 4
4.1%
8.8%
5 to 9
5.9%
10.4%
10 to 19
5.8%
10.8%
20 to 49
2.4%
8.0%
50 or more
4.8%
10.6%
Mobile homes
2.3%
0.8%
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.
0.2%
0.2%
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units
Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business
19,650
18,532
State government workers
12,525
6,550
Unpaid family workers
901
178
Industries and Occupations
Prominent industries in El Paso include defense and education, while Long Beach has a strong economy based on healthcare, professional services, and port-related industries. In terms of occupations, El Paso has notable employment in office and administrative support roles, while in Long Beach there are increased opportunities in management and sales jobs.
Both cities offer excellent healthcare facilities. El Paso is home to the University Medical Center of El Paso and the William Beaumont Army Medical Center. Long Beach boasts the Long Beach Medical Center and the Miller Children's & Women's Hospital.
Health (county statistics)
Type
El Paso
Long Beach
General health status score of residents in this county from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent)
In terms of infrastructure, Long Beach is in closer proximity to major cities like Los Angeles and San Diego, giving access to their amenities as well. While somewhat isolated geographically, El Paso benefits from its prime location on the border, providing direct access to Mexico’s markets and unique bi-national economy.
Infrastructure
Type
El Paso
Long Beach
Hospitals
41
17
TV stations
10
5
Arenas or stadiums
2
2
Bank branches located here
89
67
Bank institutions located here
19
18
Main business address for public companies
7
11
Drinking water stations with no reported violations in the past
0
2
Drinking water stations with reported violations in the past
HMDA - Conventional home purchase loans - Applications denied
Year
El Paso
Long Beach
1999
1,994
1,159
2000
993
710
2001
704
677
2002
594
708
2003
1,268
1,861
2004
1,646
2,162
2005
2,316
3,065
2006
2,701
3,591
2007
2,051
2,287
2008
1,034
887
2009
454
475
Culture and Food
El Paso’s traditional Mexican influence permeates its culture and food scene where Tex-Mex cuisine reigns supreme. Long Beach offers a melting pot of cultures leading to a broad variety of cuisine. Both cities host numerous festivals and cultural events throughout the year, providing plenty for visitors and locals to enjoy.
Sports Teams
Long Beach does not host major professional sports teams but its proximity to Los Angeles allows access to teams like the Dodgers (MLB), Lakers (NBA), and Rams (NFL). El Paso does not host any major league teams, but has minor league teams such as the El Paso Chihuahuas (AAA baseball) and El Paso Locomotive FC (USL Championship soccer).
El Paso, TX
Long Beach, CA
El Paso, TX and 
Long Beach, CA : 695.2 miles
