Living in Belmont Heights, Long Beach, CA: Housing Costs and Local Guide for 2026

Long Beach, CA, runs a diverse housing market, with citywide median sale prices sitting around $852,500 as of mid-2026. If you're looking at the coastal side of the city, chances are Belmont Heights has already come up in your search for the best neighborhoods in Long Beach, CA. It's in the southeastern portion of Long Beach - historic architecture, a residential grid that actually holds together, and enough proximity to the water to matter.

Before you make an offer here, you'll want to understand a few things that don't show up on the listing sheet: the Long Beach Unified School District's attendance zone boundaries, the city's strict short-term rental caps, and what it actually costs to own a century-old home. That's what this guide is for.

What to Expect in Belmont Heights

Belmont Heights sits just inland from the Pacific Ocean - close enough to feel it, far enough that you're not paying beachfront prices for a street-facing parking problem. The neighborhood is defined by its residential grid: tree-lined streets and a notable concentration of preserved early architecture.

A portion of the area carries formal historic district designation, which protects exterior appearances on those early 20th-century homes. That protection is one of the things buyers love about it. It's also one of the things they don't fully reckon with until they try to replace a window.

Location and Housing Setting

The neighborhood sits between Belmont Shore to the south - busier, more commercial, closer to the sand - and the broader residential tracts stretching north. That middle position gives Belmont Heights a quieter feel than the immediate coastline without pushing you far from it.

Most of the housing stock is single-family, though you'll find some multi-unit properties and low-rise condos scattered through. Lot sizes are moderate. Homes often have small front yards and garages accessed from the alley in back.

Where the Neighborhood Fits in Long Beach

Long Beach is a large city with dozens of distinct neighborhoods, each with its own price point and personality. Belmont Heights sits between the density of Downtown Long Beach and the more suburban tracts further inland - neither one thing nor the other, which is part of its appeal.

Buyers who look here often compare it directly to Belmont Shore. Belmont Shore has smaller lots, more foot traffic, and the Second Street corridor running through it. Belmont Heights trades some of that energy for a bit more space, while keeping you within a short distance of the city's main coastal attractions.

Belmont Heights Real Estate and Housing Costs

The Long Beach citywide median hit $852,500 in late spring 2026. Homes across the city average about 41 days on market, and sellers are getting just under 100% of asking. That said, Long Beach is big enough that a single city median doesn't tell you much about any one neighborhood - Central Long Beach, for example, was sitting around $660,000 in early 2026. Belmont Heights, with its coastal proximity and historic housing stock, runs well above that citywide number.

Home Types and Property Attributes

The dominant styles here are Craftsman bungalows, Spanish Colonial Revivals, and Tudor-style homes - most of them built in the 1920s and 1930s. They're handsome. They also have old plumbing and old electrical, and buyers who don't budget for modernization tend to learn that lesson at an inconvenient moment.

If your property falls within the official Belmont Heights Historic District, any street-facing changes - paint colors, window replacements, facade alterations - require approval from the Long Beach Cultural Heritage Commission. Interior work is a different story, but anything visible from the street goes through the Commission first.

How Prices Compare to the Long Beach Median

The citywide median is roughly $852,500, and single-family homes in Belmont Heights will run higher than that. The neighborhood's historic designation and position near the water keep demand from softening much.

Long Beach currently carries about 3.8 months of supply - a relatively balanced market that tilts slightly toward sellers. When a well-maintained historic property comes up here, it doesn't tend to sit. If you see something you want, have your financing ready.

Everyday Life, Dining, and Transit

Getting around Belmont Heights means leaning on the Pacific Coast Highway and Interstate 405 for anything regional. PCH moves slowly during peak hours, which matters if you're commuting toward Orange County or the South Bay.

For local trips, Long Beach Transit runs bus service through the neighborhood, connecting you to the downtown transit mall and the A Line light rail. Day-to-day errands are manageable - there are commercial strips just outside the residential core, even if Belmont Heights itself doesn't have much retail within its boundaries.

Restaurants and Everyday Dining

Most of your dining options will be along Broadway and Fourth Street, along with the Second Street corridor in Belmont Shore nearby. That mix covers independent coffee shops, casual spots, and established local restaurants.

Belmont Heights is primarily residential. There are no large commercial plazas inside the neighborhood - groceries and dinner out mean a short walk or drive to the adjacent corridors.

Getting Around Long Beach

Commuters heading to Los Angeles typically connect to I-405 via 7th Street or catch the A Line from downtown Long Beach. Expect 45 minutes to over an hour to downtown LA, depending on when you leave.

Parking is worth thinking through. Many single-family homes have private alley-accessed garages, which helps. Street parking tightens up on blocks where multi-unit buildings put more cars per block than the street can comfortably handle.

Schools, Healthcare, and Weather

The coastal location keeps Belmont Heights cooler than inland parts of Long Beach - ocean breezes do real work here in summer, when the rest of the basin heats up. Daytime temperatures generally stay in the 70s for most of the year, which is more or less what you'd expect from a Mediterranean climate.

Medical care is accessible. Several major trauma centers and specialized hospitals are within a short drive. And public schools fall under the Long Beach Unified School District, one of the largest systems in the state.

Long Beach Unified School District Zones

Public school students in Belmont Heights attend schools within Long Beach Unified (LBUSD). Attendance boundaries shift based on capacity and your specific street address, which means your neighbor's kids could be zoned differently than yours.

Don't guess. LBUSD has an official School Finder tool on its website where you can look up zones by address. Third-party mapping through sites like ZipDataMaps also shows interactive boundary maps for elementary, middle, and high schools in the district.

Hospitals and Medical Care

MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center is the main anchor - a Level II trauma center with 420 beds. St. Mary Medical Center, also a Level II trauma center, operates 415 beds nearby. The broader area is also served by Community Hospital Long Beach, Miller Children's & Women's Hospital, and Lakewood Regional Medical Center, among others.

Short-Term Rentals and Investment Properties

Long Beach takes short-term rentals seriously. The city caps non-primary-residence short-term rentals - stays of 30 consecutive days or less - at 800 citywide. Within the coastal zone, that number drops to 350 registrations. If you're buying in Belmont Heights with the intention of running a vacation rental, you need one of those limited licenses to operate legally.

That's not a loophole situation. The cap is the cap.

Long Beach Short-Term Rental Rules

Every host must register with the city and display their city-issued registration number on all listing platforms. Transient Occupancy Tax gets collected and remitted monthly - no exceptions.

If you're renting out your primary residence and you're present, you can host an unlimited number of days. Unhosted primary-residence rentals, though, are capped at 90 days per year. Repeated violations get treated as a public nuisance under Municipal Code Chapter 9.37.

Rental Income Context

The licensing caps mean you can't simply assume a Belmont Heights purchase converts cleanly into a full-time vacation rental. Traditional long-term leases - anything over 30 days - aren't subject to the short-term registration rules, so that's a separate calculation.

For long-term investors, it comes down to running the numbers honestly: high property values, local rent rates, and the maintenance overhead that comes with owning a historic home. These properties carry higher upkeep costs, and that comes out of monthly cash flow.

Buying a Home in Belmont Heights

Long Beach has about 740 active listings citywide right now, with 194 homes sold in the most recent 30-day tracking period. Belmont Heights represents a small slice of that inventory - at any given time, your options are limited.

With the citywide average sitting at 41 days on market, this isn't a slow-moving situation. Have your financing in order before you start touring.

Current Homes for Sale

Listings here range from unrenovated 1920s bungalows to fully updated historic estates. When original features - built-in cabinetry, hardwood floors, period tile - are intact and well-preserved, they carry a premium. Buyers expect that going in.

Roughly 44% of homes in Long Beach sell above list price. On a turnkey property in Belmont Heights, multiple offers are a real possibility, not an edge case. A lender who knows this market can help you put together a stronger offer when it matters.

Working With a Local Agent

A Long Beach agent who knows historic properties can give you an honest read on what a specific home is actually worth - not just what it's listed at. They'll also walk you through what the historic district regulations mean for that particular address.

Whether you're buying a primary residence or a long-term investment, local representation matters here. The zoning nuances and condition considerations on these older homes aren't things you want to figure out after closing.

Belmont Heights Real Estate FAQs

What is the average price for a single-family home in Belmont Heights, Long Beach?

Neighborhood-level medians shift, but Belmont Heights homes consistently price well above the Long Beach citywide median of $852,500. For context, Central Long Beach sits closer to $660,000. Belmont Heights commands a premium for its historic architecture and coastal proximity - buyers should expect to pay significantly more than the citywide average for a detached home here.

What are the remodeling restrictions for buying a home in the Belmont Heights Historic District?

Any exterior modification visible from the street - paint colors, window replacements, structural additions - requires approval from the Long Beach Cultural Heritage Commission. Interior renovations are generally not subject to historic preservation rules, so the restrictions apply to the street-facing facade, not what you do inside.

How does buying a house in Belmont Heights compare to neighboring Belmont Shore?

Belmont Heights generally offers slightly larger lots and a quieter, more residential feel. Belmont Shore has smaller parcels, denser housing, and higher foot traffic from the Second Street commercial corridor and immediate beach access. Both carry premium price tags compared to inland Long Beach.

Do most historic homes in Belmont Heights come with private garages, or is street parking an issue in this part of Long Beach?

Many single-family homes have private, alley-accessed garages. Street parking can still get tight, particularly on blocks with multi-unit buildings or older homes that don't have adequate off-street parking.

How competitive is the Belmont Heights real estate market for buyers right now?

The Long Beach market is moving steadily - homes are selling in roughly 41 days, and about 44% of properties sell above list price. Belmont Heights has limited inventory and consistent demand for its historic homes, so well-maintained properties tend to draw multiple offers. Be ready to move when something good comes up.

Which Long Beach Unified schools are zoned for the Belmont Heights neighborhood?

Belmont Heights is served by the Long Beach Unified School District, but specific assignments depend on your exact street address. Use the official School Finder tool on the LBUSD website to verify the elementary, middle, and high school zones for any property you're considering.