This is our June 2026 report covering May 2026 rental data for Long Beach, CA.
Long Beach occupies its own lane in Southern California — a walkable, beach-adjacent city that pulls in young professionals chasing coastal life at a fraction of Santa Monica prices, CSULB faculty and graduate students rooting themselves near campus, and families drawn to neighborhoods like Bixby Knolls and Los Altos for their Craftsman bungalows and quieter streets, all while staying connected to Greater Los Angeles via the Metro A Line. This report breaks down current Long Beach rents by bedroom size, tracks what's moving the market heading into a high-stakes event cycle, and draws out what it means for owners managing rental property here.
Long Beach Rental Market Snapshot — May 2026
Here's where Long Beach rents stand as of May 2026, across all property types — apartments, condos, townhomes, and single-family homes.
Long Beach median rent sits at $2,188 in May 2026, down 9.7% year-over-year and essentially flat month-over-month (-0.33%), with homes averaging 78 days on market, a combination that puts clear pricing pressure on landlords and signals tenants have real negotiating room right now.
| Metric | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Median Rent (All Types, Long Beach) | $2,188 | -0.3% MoM |
| Avg. Days on Market | 78 days | — |
| Rent Growth YoY | -9.7% | — |
Source: Doorstead market data, aggregated from public records and online rental listings, all rental property types in Long Beach, CA, May 2026.
What's Driving Long Beach Rental Market Conditions Right Now
Long Beach Rental Supply & New Construction
Long Beach is building aggressively, and that supply is landing directly on landlords right now. The city approved over 5,200 new housing units between 2023 and end of 2025, a 147% jump over the prior three-year cycle, with permitted housing starts climbing from 703 in 2021 to 1,704 in 2024. ADU permits hit a city record of 747 in 2024 alone, and the active pipeline adds more pressure: a 281-unit mixed-use project at 6700 PCH, 160 affordable units at 1101 Long Beach Blvd., and an 82-unit Mercy Housing development at 300 Alamitos Ave. are all in progress.
Why People Rent in Long Beach
Long Beach draws renters who want coastal access and urban amenities without paying Santa Monica or Manhattan Beach prices, and the city's position as a major employment hub anchors that demand. The Port of Long Beach is one of the busiest cargo ports in the world, the Long Beach Airport connects the region without the congestion of LAX, and Cal State Long Beach generates a steady stream of students, faculty, and staff who need housing year-round. At the Greater Los Angeles level, short-term conversion pressure tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics is adding a new layer of churn, with advocates flagging that host cities historically see long-term rental stock shrink as owners shift units to short-stay platforms. Fire-driven migration is also sending buyers and renters from high-risk hillside areas toward flat coastal cities like Long Beach, broadening the renter pool.
Long Beach Rental Market Outlook
The data points in one direction: oversupply is winning right now. Long Beach's blended median rent sits at $2,188, down 9.7% year-over-year and another 0.33% month-over-month, while the average home is sitting on market for 78 days before leasing. With the construction pipeline still delivering units through 2026, landlords should expect continued softness and price accordingly rather than waiting for a bounce that the supply numbers do not support. Concessions, flexible lease terms, and sharp initial pricing will close units faster than holding firm at last year's rates.
Where Rental Demand Concentrates in Long Beach — May 2026
Rental demand in Long Beach clusters around three distinct pulls: transit access to Greater Los Angeles (Greater LA), coastal lifestyle, and the university ecosystem in the east. Downtown Long Beach anchors the transit story. With a Walk Score of 93 and direct Metro A Line service to Downtown LA, it draws young professionals who want urban density without paying Westside prices. Alamitos Beach, just east along Ocean Boulevard, adds an affordable coastal angle; the Retro Row corridor on 4th Street keeps the neighborhood lively, and its stock of historic apartment buildings has made it a go-to for renters priced out of Belmont Shore. Belmont Shore itself pulls a different crowd: renters who prioritize lifestyle over commute time, specifically the 2nd Street dining strip, Alamitos Bay access, and Rosie's Dog Beach, a combination that tends to attract longer-term tenants willing to pay for walkable coastal living.
The north and east fill in a different profile. Bixby Knolls, about 15 minutes north of Downtown along Atlantic Avenue, draws families and dual-income households who want Craftsman-era housing stock with Long Beach Transit connectivity and quick freeway access. Los Altos in East Long Beach runs on Cal State Long Beach (CSULB). Faculty, graduate students, and university staff consistently target its well-maintained single-family streets, and Long Beach Unified School District coverage keeps family renters interested as well. Add the post-fire migration Redfin agents are documenting (buyers and renters moving from high-risk hillside neighborhoods toward flat coastal cities) and demand across all five of these corridors looks unlikely to soften soon.
Long Beach Rent by Bedroom Count — May 2026
Three-bedroom single-family rentals in Long Beach are averaging $3,798 per month, landing squarely in the range that suits the family-oriented demand in neighborhoods like Bixby Knolls and Los Altos, where proximity to good schools and Cal State Long Beach keeps steady interest from longer-term tenants. Two-bedrooms come in at $2,730, a price point that tends to attract the young professional crowd concentrated in walkable areas like Alamitos Beach and Downtown. The four-bedroom figure of $7,800 stands in a category of its own, nearly double the three-bedroom rate, reflecting the scarcity of larger single-family homes in the city and the premium tenants pay when they need the space.
| Bedrooms | SFR Median Rent |
|---|---|
| 2-Bedroom | $2,730 |
| 3-Bedroom | $3,798 |
| 4-Bedroom | $7,800 |
| Source: Doorstead market data, aggregated from public records and online rental listings, single-family properties, May 2026. |
Where to Rent in Long Beach by Property Type — May 2026
Where to Rent a Single-Family Home in Long Beach
Single-family homes in Long Beach concentrate most heavily in Los Altos and Bixby Knolls. Los Altos, in East Long Beach, draws faculty, staff, and graduate students from Cal State Long Beach with its well-maintained traditional homes and Long Beach Unified School District coverage. Bixby Knolls, roughly 15 minutes north of Downtown along Atlantic Avenue, appeals to families and commuters who want Craftsman character, walkable boutiques, and quick access to highway corridors without sacrificing neighborhood feel.
Where to Rent an Apartment or Condo in Long Beach
Apartments and condos cluster densest in the Downtown Long Beach, Alamitos Beach, and Belmont Shore corridors. Downtown carries a Walk Score of 93, puts renters on the Metro A Line for a direct shot to Downtown Los Angeles, and suits young professionals who want nightlife and transit within walking distance. Alamitos Beach slots in between Downtown and Belmont Shore with historic apartment buildings along Ocean Boulevard and the Retro Row shopping and dining strip on 4th Street, offering a more affordable coastal entry point; Belmont Shore adds Spanish-style units steps from the 2nd Street dining strip and Alamitos Bay, attracting renters who want a beach-adjacent lifestyle without committing to a full single-family budget.
Data Sources & Methodology
- Rental market data: Median rents, days on market, listing counts, and rent change figures. Sourced from county public records, deed and tax assessor data, and rental listings on publicly accessible platforms.
- Doorstead Platform Data: Internal leasing outcomes from Doorstead-managed single-family homes, including days to lease. Long Beach, CA, trailing 12 months.
Data refreshed monthly. Doorstead benchmarks reflect managed properties only and may not be representative of the broader Long Beach, CA rental market.