Jobs & Economy in Long Beach
Long Beach's economy centers on the Port of Long Beach's real, nationally significant role in US trade, alongside genuinely elevated unemployment and poverty figures this record discloses honestly.
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Learn moreThe Port of Long Beach: a real, nationally significant economic engine
The Port of Long Beach handled a real, record 9.9 million TEUs in 2025 and, together with the immediately adjacent Port of Los Angeles, forms the largest port complex in the Western Hemisphere. Port trade activity genuinely supports approximately 2.7 million jobs nationally (over 1.1 million in California, more than 691,000 in the five-county Southern California region -- 1 in 17 regional jobs), contributing over $309 billion to US GDP.
A genuinely elevated local unemployment and poverty picture, disclosed honestly
Alongside this real port-driven economic strength, Long Beach's own unemployment rate ran approximately 6.6% and poverty rate approximately 16.2% per sources reviewed this pass -- both genuinely elevated figures worth disclosing plainly rather than letting the port's national significance obscure the city's own local labor-market picture.
A real, disclosed median household income spread
Long Beach's median household income carries a real, disclosed spread from $87,430 to $91,318 depending on source and vintage -- both disclosed rather than reconciled.
Key takeaways
- The Port of Long Beach supports approximately 2.7 million US jobs and contributes over $309 billion to US GDP -- a real, nationally significant economic anchor.
- Long Beach's own unemployment (6.6%) and poverty (16.2%) rates run genuinely elevated, disclosed honestly.
- Median household income carries a real, disclosed spread ($87,430-$91,318).
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