The Town FilesHuntington Beach, California
City in Orange County · population 198,711 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,100,000
- Household income
- $120,919
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 44.0
Huntington Beach is a city of 198,711 people in Orange County, California. The median home is worth $1,100,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 92% of California towns, better for young professionals than 91% of California towns, more seaside character than 90% of California towns.
How Huntington Beach ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Huntington Beach is worth $1,100,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 9.1 times the median household income of $120,919, which is more affordable than 15% of California towns. Median rent is $2,510 a month. 55.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Huntington Beach | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,100,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,510 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $120,919 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.1× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 55.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Huntington Beach
| People | Huntington Beach | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.6% | — |
| Work from home | 21.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.9% | 93.3% |
Weather in Huntington Beach
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 48.6°F. About 11.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Huntington Beach since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 7, 1966 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 19, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on January 31, 1979.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, chemical.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 16, 2026 | Fire | FM-5679: Norte Fire |
| May 25, 2026 | Chemical | EM-3646: Chemical Release |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| May 12, 2022 | Fire | FM-5439: Coastal Fire |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 1,661,276 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $81,403 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Huntington Beach itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Huntington Beach
32 public schools with 22,194 students, about 23.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington Beach High | 9-12 | 2,734 | 24.4 |
| Edison High | 9-12 | 2,011 | 21.6 |
| Marina High | 9-12 | 2,007 | 22.6 |
| Ocean View High | 9-12 | 1,216 | 19.6 |
| Ethel Dwyer Middle | 6-8 | 943 | 25.5 |
| Helen Stacey Middle | 6-8 | 864 | 22.7 |
| Isaac L. Sowers Middle | 6-8 | 776 | 25.0 |
| Talbert (Samuel E.) Middle | 6-8 | 731 | 22.2 |
| Mesa View Middle | 6-8 | 693 | 23.9 |
| Marine View Middle | 6-8 | 647 | 24.9 |
| Harbour View Elementary | K-5 | 616 | 25.7 |
| Circle View Elementary | K-5 | 616 | 25.7 |
Towns near Huntington Beach
- Fountain Valley, CA3.2 mi · 57,047 people · home $1,072,300
- Midway City, CA3.4 mi · 8,825 people · home $788,600
- Westminster, CA3.8 mi · 90,911 people · home $858,300
- Seal Beach, CA5.5 mi · 25,242 people · home $486,800
- Costa Mesa, CA5.7 mi · 111,918 people · home $1,115,100
- Garden Grove, CA6.1 mi · 171,949 people · home $814,100
- Stanton, CA7.1 mi · 37,962 people · home $579,300
- Santa Ana, CA7.4 mi · 310,227 people · home $713,000
Huntington Beach questions
Is Huntington Beach, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Huntington Beach scores better for retirees than 48% of California towns and quieter than 21%. 19.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.0).
How much does a house cost in Huntington Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Huntington Beach is valued at $1,100,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,919, so homes cost about 9.1 times income. Median rent is $2,510 a month.
What is the weather like in Huntington Beach?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 48.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Huntington Beach get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Huntington Beach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 7, 1966. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)