Sample data. These scores are illustrative placeholders, not real measurements — live scores arrive when the data pipeline runs.
Where Long Beach lands on the scale
Every city is graded on the same 0–100 Fun Score, split into five bands from quiet to exceptional — here is where Long Beach sits.
How the Fun Score adds up
The Fun Score is one number with two halves — 16 things that make Long Beach fun, minus 7 that wear it down. Here is the arithmetic.
16 things that lift the score, blended onto 0–100
7 things that wear it down, blended onto 0–100
- Fun factors lift it
- –
- Drawbacks pull it down
- –
- Raw composite
- –
- Fun Score placed on the published 0–100 scale
- –
Only 40% of the drawback total is subtracted — even a great city can carry a few flaws. Every factor below spells its contribution out as an equation — score times weight. Those 23 contributions are the building blocks behind the two totals above (each is rounded for display).
The Fun breakdown
Every factor is scored 0–100 against the other cities in the index.
Long Beach's strongest factors are Climate, Transit Quality and Star Power. Its heaviest drawbacks are Disaster Risk, Traffic and Going-Out Cost.
On every bar, the marker shows the typical city — the median score across the whole index.
What lifts the score
- Eats –
Restaurants, food halls and the depth of the dining scene.
Measured from OpenStreetMap restaurant counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
- Drinks –
Bars, breweries, cocktail rooms and the nightlife spread.
Measured from OpenStreetMap bars, pubs, nightclubs and craft breweries/distilleries, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
- Coffee –
Cafés and the strength of the third-place coffee culture.
Measured from OpenStreetMap café counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
-
Music venues and how often live shows actually happen.
Measured from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek show listings, plus OpenStreetMap music venues.
-
Notable people the city is known for, plus headliner acts that tour through.
Measured from SeatGeek headliner popularity and Wikidata notable residents (rank-blended).
- Outdoors –
Parks, beaches and easy access to nature.
Measured from OpenStreetMap parks, nature reserves, playgrounds and beaches, plus National Park Service units and Recreation.gov federal facilities.
- Culture –
Museums, theatres, galleries and arts institutions.
Measured from OpenStreetMap museums, galleries and theatres plus geo-tagged Wikipedia landmarks, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
- Events –
Festivals, fairs and a packed year-round events calendar.
Measured from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek festivals, fairs and ticketed events.
- Sports –
Pro and college teams and the game-day energy around them.
Measured from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek pro and college games, plus OpenStreetMap stadiums, sports centres and fitness centres.
-
Escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke spots.
Measured from OpenStreetMap escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke venues, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
-
How much the city is talked about and searched for — news and search attention.
Measured from GDELT news tone and Google Trends search interest (each percentile-ranked, then averaged).
- Climate –
How often the weather is good enough to get outside.
Measured from NOAA climate normals — counts of comfortable days.
-
How well a person without a car can move around the city.
Measured from GTFS schedules via Transit.land, the Federal Transit Administration National Transit Database and US Census ACS B08301 commuter mode share.
-
Density of fun within walking distance — sidewalks, intersections, mixed-use blocks.
Measured from EPA National Walkability Index (block-group resolution, population-weighted to the city).
-
Density of college and university students — the engine behind a college town.
Measured from NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) full-time-equivalent enrollment and US Census ACS age cohort data.
-
Protected bike lanes and a working public bikeshare system.
Measured from OpenStreetMap protected cycleway segments and the MobilityData GBFS bikeshare-feed catalog.
What weighs it down
- Crime –
Reported violent and property crime rates.
Measured from FBI Crime Data Explorer and city open-data crime portals.
- Traffic –
Congestion and the time lost to commuting.
Measured from US Census commute-time data (ACS).
-
Recent particulate matter and ozone levels — a trailing-week air-quality average.
Measured from EPA AirNow and OpenAQ pollution readings (seven-day trailing average).
-
Exposure to natural hazards and severe events.
Measured from FEMA National Risk Index.
-
Punishing heat, cold and storm extremes.
Measured from NOAA Storm Events and climate-extremes data.
-
Cost of living and housing pressure on residents.
Measured from Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment, HUD Fair Market Rent and US Census median income plus poverty rate.
-
What a typical night out actually costs in this metro.
Measured from Bureau of Labor Statistics regional Consumer Price Index — food away from home, recreation services and transportation services.
Couldn’t load the full breakdown. Please refresh to try again.
Cities like Long Beach
The Long Beach read Free
A written read on Long Beach, grounded in the data
A plain-English analysis of why Long Beach scores the way it does — its standout strengths, where it falls short, who it suits best, and the cities most like it. Every figure is drawn from the same 23 factors on this page: it narrates the measured data, it never invents a number.
Long Beach, CA: A "Some Fun" City with Exceptional Climate
Long Beach, CA earns a Fun Score of 31, placing it in the "Some Fun" category, and is particularly notable for its outstanding climate. The city is one of three tied for #108 out of 134 cities nationally.
Why it scores high
Long Beach shines brightest in its Climate, scoring an impressive 92 and ranking tied for #2 nationally out of 134 cities. This indicates a city with an abundance of comfortable days, making outdoor activities enjoyable for much of the year. The pleasant weather contributes significantly to the city's overall appeal.
The city also boasts strong Transit Quality, with a score of 74, ranking tied for #35 nationally. This suggests a well-connected city where residents and visitors can navigate efficiently using public transportation, reducing reliance on personal vehicles. This ease of movement can greatly enhance the experience of exploring the city's offerings.
Adding to its strengths, Long Beach has a vibrant City Vibe, scoring 71 and ranking tied for #39 nationally. This high score indicates a city with a positive general sentiment and significant public interest, suggesting a lively and engaging atmosphere that draws people in.
Where it falls short
Despite its strengths, Long Beach faces challenges in certain areas. Its Outdoors scene scores a low 4, ranking #129 nationally. This indicates a relative scarcity of parks, nature reserves, and other outdoor recreational spaces compared to other cities. Similarly, Sports activities are limited, with a score of 6 and a national rank of #126, suggesting fewer opportunities for professional or college sporting events and sports facilities.
Another significant concern is Disaster Risk, where Long Beach scores a very low 8, ranking tied for #131 nationally. This indicates a high susceptibility to natural disasters, which is an important consideration for residents and potential newcomers. Additionally, the city experiences considerable Traffic, scoring 12 and ranking tied for #120 nationally, which can lead to longer commute times and impact daily life. The Economic Strain score of 20 (tied for #107 nationally) and Going-Out Cost score of 18 (tied for #87 nationally) suggest that the cost of living and entertainment can be relatively high, potentially impacting residents' disposable income and overall quality of life.
Who it's for
Long Beach is ideal for individuals who prioritize an exceptional climate and good public transit, and appreciate a city with a lively atmosphere. It might appeal to those who don't heavily rely on extensive outdoor recreation or a strong sports scene, and are prepared for potential traffic and higher costs of living.
Cities like it
- Los Angeles, CA: Shares some of Long Beach's climate advantages and urban characteristics.
- Sacramento, CA: Offers a similar blend of urban amenities and challenges, though with a different regional flavor.
- Riverside, CA: Another Southern California city that presents a comparable set of lifestyle factors.
Sources
- OpenStreetMap restaurant counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap bars, pubs, nightclubs and craft breweries/distilleries, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap café counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek show listings, plus OpenStreetMap music venues
- SeatGeek headliner popularity and Wikidata notable residents (rank-blended)
- OpenStreetMap parks, nature reserves, playgrounds and beaches, plus National Park Service units and Recreation.gov federal facilities
- OpenStreetMap museums, galleries and theatres plus geo-tagged Wikipedia landmarks, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek festivals, fairs and ticketed events
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek pro and college games, plus OpenStreetMap stadiums, sports centres and fitness centres
- OpenStreetMap escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke venues, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- GDELT news tone and Google Trends search interest (each percentile-ranked, then averaged)
- NOAA climate normals — counts of comfortable days
- GTFS schedules via Transit.land, the Federal Transit Administration National Transit Database and US Census ACS B08301 commuter mode share
- EPA National Walkability Index (block-group resolution, population-weighted to the city)
- NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) full-time-equivalent enrollment and US Census ACS age cohort data
- OpenStreetMap protected cycleway segments and the MobilityData GBFS bikeshare-feed catalog
- FBI Crime Data Explorer and city open-data crime portals
- US Census commute-time data (ACS)
- EPA AirNow and OpenAQ pollution readings (seven-day trailing average)
- FEMA National Risk Index
- NOAA Storm Events and climate-extremes data
- Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment, HUD Fair Market Rent and US Census median income plus poverty rate
- Bureau of Labor Statistics regional Consumer Price Index — food away from home, recreation services and transportation services
This narrative is generated by AI from CityFunIndex's measured data. The Fun Scores, ranks and raw values are computed deterministically; the wording around them is the model's. Verify any figure against the linked city page.
Go deeper
Use the data
Long Beach’s Fun Score and every factor score are available through the licensed CityFunIndex API — clean JSON, metered one call per city record, behind a paid key.
Cite this page
Paste-ready credit line for journalists, researchers and bloggers. Carries the score, the algorithm version and the canonical URL so readers can verify it themselves.
CityFunIndex Fun Score for Long Beach, CA: 31/100 (v2.1.0-dev). https://cityfunindex.com/city/long-beach-ca
Press, research and partnership enquiries: media kit · api@cityfunindex.com.