Long Beach is a large city that straddles the border between LA County and Orange County. In terms of school district structure, most of it falls under the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), but the GreatSchools ratings for individual schools vary widely from 2 to 9. Even within LBUSD, the educational environment can differ significantly depending on which school a student is assigned to.

Looking at the top schools within LBUSD, Millikan High School has a GreatSchools rating of 7 to 8, making it one of the top schools in Long Beach. At the elementary level, Los Cerritos Elementary has a rating of 9, and Emerson Parkside Academy maintains a rating in the 8 range. These schools are primarily concentrated in the northeastern and central-eastern parts of Long Beach. In contrast, some schools near downtown Long Beach or in the southern areas tend to have ratings in the 3 to 5 range, indicating a significant disparity within the district.

In terms of home prices, the median price for single-family homes in Long Beach is estimated to be around $750,000 to $900,000 as of 2025. In the northeastern areas with higher school ratings (Bixby Knolls, Los Altos, California Heights), prices tend to range from $850,000 to $1,100,000, while areas near downtown or in the south are lower, ranging from $650,000 to $800,000. The difference in school ratings reflects a premium of about $150,000 to $250,000 in home prices.

For Korean families, there is a higher tendency to choose Cerritos over Long Beach. Cerritos falls under the ABC Unified School District, where Cerritos High School maintains a GreatSchools rating of 8 to 9, and it has a more robust infrastructure of Korean markets, tutoring centers, and community resources compared to Long Beach. The proportion of Korean residents in Long Beach is relatively low, so families prioritizing access to the Korean community should consider this factor.

If families prioritize school districts in Long Beach, they should primarily look at the Bixby Knolls and Los Altos areas. These neighborhoods have a high percentage of single-family homes and good access to schools. The areas assigned to Los Altos High School generally have higher ratings and are known for community stability within Long Beach. Properties near the border with Lakewood are also worth checking in terms of school assignments.

Nearby Lakewood is also a point of comparison. Lakewood has a mixed structure of LBUSD and Bellflower USD, and Lakewood High School has a GreatSchools rating of 6 to 7, which is slightly lower than Long Beach's Millikan, but the living environment is stable. Many evaluations suggest that moving towards Cerritos is advantageous in terms of school districts if the budget is similar.

It is essential to verify school assignments before moving. Be sure to check the assigned school by entering your address on the official LBUSD website (lbusd.org). School district boundaries can change at the block level, so moving without checking your address may result in not being assigned to your desired school. It is recommended to complete your move by June or July before the August school start, and open enrollment applications typically close between January and March, so it is beneficial to plan ahead.