Huntington Beach CA
California · Pop. 195,240
Huntington Beach, CA: median household income of $120,919, median rent of $2,510/mo, 5.4% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$120,919
per year
Median Rent
$2,510
per month
Median Home
$1,100k
home value
Unemployment
5.4%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
7.8%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
28 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Huntington Beach, CA Reality Check"
In Huntington Beach, the rent-to-income burden runs around 25% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $120,919 and median rent is $2,510/month. 51% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $1,100,000 — that's 9.1× the median income. 49% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher — a highly educated workforce that drives (and inflates) this local economy. Median age of 44 skews older — established community, quieter streets, but the kind of city that goes to bed early on Saturdays. Employment picture: 5.42% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 7.8%. Average commute: 28 minutes — acceptable. Violent crime: 19.2/100k avg monthly rate (1373 reported); Property crime: 175/100k avg monthly rate (12521 reported). The city covers 31.9 sq miles at 6,124 people/sq mile — moderately dense. Elevation: 128 ft — essentially flat — floods are a real conversation. RoastMyCity overall score: 56/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Safety
/100Violent crime: 19.2/100k avg monthly rate (1373 reported); Property crime: 175/100k avg monthly rate (12521 reported).