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Living in
Seal Beach.
About
Life in Seal Beach
Seal Beach is a small coastal city at the northwest edge of Orange County, and it skews much older than most of Southern California: the median age is about 62, largely because of the large Leisure World retirement community. About 77% of households own their home. The median home value is $486,800 by the Census measure, but Zillow's estimate of $838,369 better reflects today's market, up about 27% in five years.
Seal Beach at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
61.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.7%
Foreign-Born
17.6%
Broadband Internet
90.9%
of households
Population Growth
-4.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics17.6% foreign-born, most often from Korea
Who lives in Seal Beach: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Seal Beach, the largest foreign-born group is from Korea (22.8%), and 6.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
12.9%
of residents
65 and Older
43.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
14.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
46.3%
of households
Married Couples
39.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.90
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 30% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Seal Beach
In Seal Beach, rent runs 30% above the CA average, and home values are 34% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
113.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,154
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
76.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1966
median year built
Vacant Homes
12.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $838,369 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Seal Beach and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Seal Beach is 0.7 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Seal Beach Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area
Commute28.8 min avg
How Seal Beach residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Seal Beach, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 mi
Long Beach International Airport (LGB)
Small hub1.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 14 mi
John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA)
Medium hub5.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 22 mi
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Major hub36.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 17% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Seal Beach runs 17% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
383.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,554.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Seal Beach Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Orange County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Orange County, which includes Seal Beach, the most common type is high wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Heavy Rain | $40,000 |
| 2024 | 25 | High Wind | $30,000 |
| 2023 | 37 | High Wind | $50,000 |
| 2022 | 42 | High Wind | $60.0M |
| 2021 | 40 | High Wind | $952,000 |
| 2020 | 30 | High Wind | $105,000 |
| 2019 | 33 | High Surf | $125,500 |
| 2018 | 23 | High Surf | $20,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
119 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Orange County, county-wide
Seal Beach is less than 1% of Orange County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality53 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Orange County, which includes Seal Beach, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
53
Good Days
138
per year
Moderate Days
214
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Orange County, county-wide
Seal Beach is less than 1% of Orange County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate80°F summers, 47°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Seal Beach has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and warm winters (avg low 47°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
78°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
67°/47°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
12.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
23
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
35
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°F | 47°F | 2.89" |
| Feb | 67°F | 48°F | 3.02" |
| Mar | 69°F | 51°F | 1.65" |
| Apr | 71°F | 54°F | 0.56" |
| May | 73°F | 58°F | 0.26" |
| Jun | 76°F | 61°F | 0.07" |
| Jul | 81°F | 65°F | 0.05" |
| Aug | 83°F | 66°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 82°F | 64°F | 0.08" |
| Oct | 78°F | 59°F | 0.53" |
| Nov | 73°F | 52°F | 0.75" |
| Dec | 67°F | 47°F | 2.15" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Seal Beach
Uninsured
1.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Seal Beach's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
VA Long Beach Healthcare System
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 3.1 mi away · Long Beach
Uci Health - Los Alamitos
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.4 mi away · Los Alamitos
Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility
Psychiatric · 5.7 mi away · Long Beach
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education22.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Seal Beach
Seal Beach's student/teacher ratio is 22.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 51.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
1
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
51.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Seal Beach (within 15 miles)
California State University-Fullerton
13.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 38,546 students · in-state tuition $7,952 · 80% graduate · median earnings $69,015 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-Long Beach
3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 35,924 students · in-state tuition $8,338 · 81% graduate · median earnings $69,554 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 17,121 students · in-state tuition $1,150 · 28% graduate · median earnings $49,216 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-Dominguez Hills
13 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 12,538 students · in-state tuition $7,853 · 68% graduate · median earnings $62,587 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 9,034 students · in-state tuition $1,202 · 29% graduate · median earnings $50,592 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,478 students · in-state tuition $67,894 · 82% graduate · median earnings $80,694 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 47 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Seal Beach
Seal Beach has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (47 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
47 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
49 mi awayCabrillo National Monument
National Monument
89 mi awayPublic Libraries in Seal Beach
Mary Wilson Branch Library
707 Electric Ave., Seal Beach
Cities Near Seal Beach
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Seal Beach?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Seal Beach FAQ
Is Seal Beach, California affordable?⌄
Seal Beach's median rent is $2,649/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $85,964/year. Median home value is $486,800.
Is Seal Beach, California safe?⌄
Seal Beach's violent crime rate was 384 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2555 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Seal Beach, California?⌄
Seal Beach has an unemployment rate of 4.8%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Seal Beach, California?⌄
The cost of living in Seal Beach is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,649/month and median household income is $85,964/year. The median home value is $486,800. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Seal Beach, California?⌄
The average commute in Seal Beach is 29 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from