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Long Beach is California's seventh-largest city, stretching along twelve miles of Pacific coastline south of Los Angeles. It is a port city with a dense downtown, distinct residential neighborhoods, and a strong arts and dining culture that extends well beyond the student population. The Long Beach waterfront and the historic Belmont Shore strip on Second Street give the city a texture that most California university towns lack. Metro A Line light rail provides a direct connection to Los Angeles for students who need it, and Long Beach Transit buses link most student neighborhoods to campus and downtown. The city's diversity, walkable pockets, and year-round mild climate make it a genuinely livable place to spend four years.
The neighborhood anchored by Second Street between the ocean and Alamitos Bay combines walkable dining and retail with proximity to the beach. It is one of the most desirable addresses for CSULB students who can afford slightly higher rents.
The streets immediately adjacent to campus hold the highest concentration of student housing in Long Beach. Rents are moderate, walkability to class is excellent, and turnover is high enough that units appear regularly.
A quieter residential area north of campus along Atlantic Avenue, Bixby Knolls appeals to students who want more space and a neighborhood feel at rents below the beachside options.
The broader area east and southeast of campus along Spring Street and Stearns Street offers affordable apartments and houses. It suits students comfortable commuting by car or bike and willing to trade walkability for lower rent.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Long Beach.
Long Beach is served by Long Beach Transit bus routes that connect the university area to downtown Long Beach, the waterfront, and the Metro A Line light rail. The Metro A Line runs north-south from Long Beach Station and connects riders to Los Angeles in roughly an hour. Students living near campus can reach downtown Long Beach by bus in about twenty minutes on several routes. Transit is useful for commuting but less convenient for reaching destinations across the sprawling metro area.
The streets around CSULB are reasonably bikeable, and the city has invested in protected lanes along major corridors including Second Street and parts of Pacific Coast Highway. Students living in the University District, Belmont Shore, and East Long Beach regularly commute by bike to campus. The beach path running along the waterfront offers a scenic recreational route connecting Belmont Shore to downtown. Pedestrian infrastructure is adequate near campus but thins out in more suburban sections of East Long Beach.
On-campus parking requires a permit and can be competitive during peak hours, though CSULB has several large parking structures. Street parking in the University District and Belmont Shore is plentiful in residential zones but requires attention to posted restrictions. Students living off campus commonly commute by car, and most apartment rentals in the area include at least one off-street parking space. Paid daily parking is available on campus for visitors and students without permits.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Shared housing in the University District runs roughly $800 to $1,100 per person per month. Belmont Shore commands a premium, with one-bedrooms starting around $1,600. Bixby Knolls and East Long Beach offer more moderate options in the $1,200 to $1,500 range for a one-bedroom. Utilities add $80 to $150 per month depending on the building.
Browse student housing near each Long Beach-area university.