Living Cost Compare
Long Beach

California

$1,960/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,960 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wilmington, DE is roughly 37% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Long Beach, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,969 in Long Beach, CA and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 34% higher in Long Beach, CA. California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Long Beach, CA
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$1,447
$1,103
+24% in Long Beach, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,634
$1,024
+37% in Long Beach, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,979
$1,213
+39% in Long Beach, CA
3 Bedroom
$2,360
$1,394
+41% in Long Beach, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$762,200
$224,500
+71% in Long Beach, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$83,969
$55,269
+34% in Long Beach, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$55,850
$54,310
+3% in Long Beach, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.8 yr
37.0 yr
+0.2 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
40.9%
46.0%
+5.1 pp in Wilmington, DE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
34.8%
33.1%
+1.7 pp in Long Beach, CA
Avg Commute
30.0 min
23.0 min
+7.0 min in Long Beach, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
690
1,138.2
+65% in Wilmington, DE
Property Crime
3,584.4
3,182.4
+11% in Long Beach, CA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
64.7°F
54.9°F
+9.8°F in Long Beach, CA
Annual Precipitation
12.3 in
43.1 in
+30.8 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.40/gal
$3.86/gal
+28% in Long Beach, CA

Area: Los Angeles vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

Adult base one-way fare — Long Beach Transit vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
33.3
19.4
+42% in Long Beach, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.72
$22.51
+9% in Wilmington, DE

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Long Beach, CA
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Long Beach, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Wilmington, DE
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Long Beach, CA
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Long Beach, CA
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Long Beach, CA

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CA / DE)
7.25%
None
+7.3 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
13.30%
6.60%
+6.7 pp in CA

Long Beach vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Long Beach or Wilmington?
Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,230 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 37% below Long Beach, CA's $1,960, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Long Beach than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $65,000 a year in Long Beach versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Long Beach or Wilmington?
Long Beach is taxed under California's rules (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).