Huntington Beach, California
Cost of living, housing, income, commute, climate, and safety — compiled for relocators researching Huntington Beach, CA.
MapsToIt planning snapshot
How much does it cost to live in Huntington Beach, CA?
Huntington Beach planning snapshot: population 193,151, housing index 263 (well above the U.S. housing-cost baseline), median home $1,047,300, median rent $2,424, and income near $119,885. Expect 78°F summer highs, 49°F winter lows, and about 28-minute one-way commutes. Violent-offense rates run about 191.2 per 100k (catalog avg 559.5).
Crime figures may use an older source vintage than housing and income on this page.
- Housing cost index
- 263U.S. avg 100
- Median home value
- $1,047,300U.S. $303,400
- Median rent
- $2,424U.S. $1,348
- Median income
- $119,885U.S. $78,538
- Unemployment
- 4.2%U.S. 4.2%
- Avg commute
- 28 minCatalog avg 25 min
- Violent crime
- 191.2per 100k · catalog avg 559.5
- Summer high
- 78°FCatalog avg 87°F
Key figures
Each metric shows how Huntington Beach compares with a U.S. baseline (ACS/BLS nationals) or a MapsToIt catalog average (crime, climate, and commute). Income, housing, population, and crime are for the incorporated city (city limits), not the broader metro/MSA — unemployment is county-level (BLS LAUS).
- Population
- 193,151City limits · Census PEP 2024 estimate
As of 2026-10-19 · Census PEP 2024 - Median household income
- $119,885Incorporated place (ACS)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year53% above U.S. avgU.S. $78,538 - Housing cost index
- 263ACS home+rent vs U.S. (100 = avg)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year163% above U.S. avgU.S. 100 - Median home value
- $1,047,300City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year245% above U.S. avgU.S. $303,400 - Median rent
- $2,424City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year80% above U.S. avgU.S. $1,348 - Unemployment
- 4.2%County LAUS · not city-only
As of 2026-10-19 · July 2026Near U.S. rate (4.2%)U.S. 4.2% - Avg commute
- 28 min12% above catalog avgCatalog avg 25 min
- Walk Score
- 487% above catalog avgCatalog avg 45
- Violent crime rate
- 191.2per 100k · citywide
As of 2026-10-19 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback) · older data (2019)66% below catalog avgCatalog avg 559.5 - Property crime rate
- 2053.1per 100k · citywide
As of 2026-10-19 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback) · older data (2019)32% below catalog avgCatalog avg 3005.3 - Summer high
- 78°FAs of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals9.0 pts below catalog avgCatalog avg 87°F
- Winter low
- 49°FAs of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals14.0 pts above catalog avgCatalog avg 35°F
- Annual rainfall
- 11.2 inAs of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals66% below catalog avgCatalog avg 33.2 in
- Sunny days
- 324As of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals21% above catalog avgCatalog avg 268
Population trend
Huntington Beach grew 1.0% from 191,296 in 2010 to 193,151 in 2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024). Playback steps monthly between annual Census PEP estimates.
Is Huntington Beach, CA expensive compared to the U.S. average?
Huntington Beach's housing cost index is 263 versus 100 nationally — well above the U.S. housing-cost baseline. That gap is driven mainly by ACS median home values ($1,047,300 vs $303,400) and rents ($2,424 vs $1,348).
- Housing cost index 263 (U.S. 100)
- Median home $1,047,300 vs U.S. $303,400
- Median rent $2,424 vs U.S. $1,348
How much does housing cost in Huntington Beach, CA?
Typical ownership costs center near $1,047,300, while median gross rent is about $2,424 a month. Against a median household income of $119,885, rent alone is roughly 24% of income on an annualized basis.
- Median home value $1,047,300
- Median rent $2,424/month
- Median household income $119,885
What is the job market like in Huntington Beach, CA?
County unemployment recently ran 4.2% versus a U.S. rate of 4.2%. Median household income in Huntington Beach is about $119,885 (U.S. $78,538).
- Unemployment 4.2% (U.S. 4.2%)
- Median income $119,885
How long is the typical commute in Huntington Beach, CA?
Average one-way commute time is about 28 minutes, with Walk Score near 48/100. The catalog-city average commute is 25 minutes.
- 28 minutes average one-way
- Walk Score 48/100
Is Huntington Beach, CA safer than similar U.S. cities?
Published violent-offense rates are about 191.2 per 100k and property about 2053.1 per 100k, versus catalog averages of 559.5 and 3005.3. Citywide rates hide large neighborhood differences.
- Violent 191.2 per 100k
- Property 2053.1 per 100k
What is the climate like year-round in Huntington Beach, CA?
Normals show summer highs near 78°F, winter lows near 49°F, about 11.2 inches of rain, and roughly 324 sunny days a year.
- Summer high 78°F
- Winter low 49°F
- 11.2 in rain · 324 sunny days
Pacific weather, wildfire seasons, and housing scarcity dominate relocation tradeoffs. Roughly 324 sunny days a year give outdoor routines unusual calendar reliability. Average one-way commute time is about 28 minutes, and Walk Score estimates land around 48/100. Labor-market readings near 4.2% unemployment are neither boom nor bust by national standards. Violent-offense rates near 191.2 per 100k compare favorably with many peer metros, though local blocks still differ.
Huntington Beach (pop. 193,151) sits in California. With median income around $119,885 and a cost index of 263, the market reads well above the national housing-cost baseline. Ownership is a high bar — typical values near $1,047,300 push many newcomers toward renting first.
Huntington Beach is compact enough that a single wrong neighborhood choice is easy to feel day to day — visit at commute hour before signing. Figures on this page are merged from Census ACS, BLS LAUS, FBI crime figures, and NOAA Climate Normals — use them to compare Huntington Beach with nearby alternatives before you relocate.
Nearby & similar cities
Continue researching with these internal links — each page is a full data profile.
Sources
- Census / ACS: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year (Huntington Beach city, 1600000US0636000) — As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year
- BLS: BLS LAUS · Orange County, July 2026 — As of 2026-10-19 · July 2026
- Crime: FBI CIUS Table 8 (2019), city offenses per 100k — As of 2026-10-19 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback)
- Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 Monthly Normals (USW00093184 SANTA ANA JOHN WAYNE AP) — As of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals
- Population trend: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024) — As of 2026-10-19 · Census PEP 2024
Catalog refreshed 2026-10-19