About Long Beach, California and the Surrounding Area
Our community
The Long Beach Area community reflects a rich culture and historical diversity that includes residents of Latinx, Filipino, African-American, and Cambodian heritage. NAMI Long Beach Area works with community-based organizations, families, caregivers, health organizations, business, law enforcement, legal advocacy, schools, and youth organizations.
Facts about Long Beach & Surrounding areas
- Long Beach is a city on the Pacific Coast of the United States, within the Los Angeles metropolitan area of Southern California. Long Beach lies in the southeastern corner of Los Angeles County and borders Orange County
- Long Beach, California is home to approximately 470,000 residents and is roughly 66 square miles.
- The Port of Long Beach is the second busiest container port in the United States and is among the world's largest shipping ports
- Despite being the sixth largest city in California, Long Beach has a small-town provincial feel with bike-friendly streets, active neighborhood associations, and artist collectives.
- The West and Central Long Beach target area includes 90,000 residents of Latino, Filipino, African-American, and Cambodian descent. Languages spoken include Spanish, Khmer, and Tagalog.
- Cambodia Town in Central Long Beach is home to nearly 18,000 Cambodian residents, representing the largest concentration of Cambodians outside of Cambodia.
- Schools, homes, and community gardens in West Long Beach are directly adjacent to the Port of Long Beach (the 2nd busiest port in the Nation) and the I-710 Freeway, resulting in poor air quality from ships and trucks and high rates of asthma in children.
- Long Beach Unified School District is the 3rd largest school district in California with a total enrollment of 82,256 students.
- 25.7 percent of full-time workers in Long Beach live in “working poverty,” meaning they work full-time and still live below the federal poverty level.
