Sunset Beach, CA

Real Estate Prices and Overview

Sunset Beach median real estate price is $1,373,509, which is more expensive than 93.6% of the neighborhoods in California and 98.7% of the neighborhoods in the U.S.

The average rental price in Sunset Beach is currently $3,115, based on NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis. The average rental cost in this neighborhood is higher than 80.4% of the neighborhoods in California.

Sunset Beach is a suburban neighborhood (based on population density) located in Seal Beach, California. This is a coastal neighborhood (i.e., is on the ocean, a bay, or inlet).

Sunset Beach real estate is primarily made up of small (studio to two bedroom) to medium sized (three or four bedroom) single-family homes and small apartment buildings. Most of the residential real estate is occupied by a mixture of owners and renters. Many of the residences in the Sunset Beach neighborhood are older, well-established, built between 1940 and 1969. A number of residences were also built between 1970 and 1999.

Vacant apartments or homes are a major fact of life in Sunset Beach. The current real estate vacancy rate here is 30.9%. This is higher than the rate of vacancies in 94.5% of all U.S. neighborhoods. A relatively large percentage of housing here is seasonally occupied (25.9%). This can occur in vacation areas, and occasionally it is also found in neighborhoods that are primarily filled with college students, as some apartments could be vacant when school is not in session. If you live here year round, you may find that a number of buildings in your neighborhood are actually empty.

The Neighborhood

Sunset Beach is a neighborhood that is on the ocean, a bay, or inlet. Many times, such places have amenities that bring locals and visitors to the waterfront for recreational activities or to check out the scenery. In some densely populated areas that are less financially well-off, the neighborhood waterfront can be relatively industrial and less open to recreation. In addition to being coastal, Sunset Beach is a very nautical neighborhood, meaning that it is somewhat historic, walkable, densely populated and on the water. This gives the neighborhood a very nautical feel, with some seaside and shipping feel, which some may really enjoy the sights and sounds of.

People - If you are planning to retire in California, this neighborhood should be on your must-see list. For many reasons, Sunset Beach may be considered a retiree's dream neighborhood. According to NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis and metrics, it's peaceful and quiet, has above average safety from crime compared to other neighborhoods in California, while also offering a diverse range of housing options. This, along with the vibrant mix of very educated seniors and other age groups who choose to live here, makes the neighborhood more retiree-friendly than 97.1% of neighborhoods in CA. If a California retirement is in your future, this neighborhood should be one of the places you visit. In addition to being an excellent choice for active retirees, this neighborhood is also a very good choice for urban sophisticates.

Income - The neighbors in the Sunset Beach neighborhood in Seal Beach are upper-middle income, making it an above average income neighborhood. NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis reveals that this neighborhood has a higher income than 82.1% of the neighborhoods in America. In addition, 7.3% of the children seventeen and under living in this neighborhood are living below the federal poverty line, which is a lower rate of childhood poverty than is found in 67.0% of America's neighborhoods.

Ethnicity / Ancestry - In the Sunset Beach neighborhood in Seal Beach, CA, residents most commonly identify their ethnicity or ancestry as German (16.2%). There are also a number of people of Irish ancestry (14.6%), and residents who report English roots (7.5%), and some of the residents are also of Mexican ancestry (7.4%), along with some Italian ancestry residents (5.9%), among others.

Occupations - In the Sunset Beach neighborhood, 56.4% of the working population is employed in executive, management, and professional occupations. The second most important occupational group in this neighborhood is sales and service jobs, from major sales accounts, to working in fast food restaurants, with 16.2% of the residents employed. Other residents here are employed in manufacturing and laborer occupations (15.0%), and 12.4% in clerical, assistant, and tech support occupations.

Getting To Work - Car, bus, train or other means – and how much of your day it takes to do so is a large quality of life and financial issue. Especially with gasoline prices rising and expected to continue doing so, the length and means of one's commute can be a financial burden. Some neighborhoods are physically located so that many residents have to drive in their own car, others are set up so many walk to work, or can take a train, bus, or bike. The greatest number of commuters in Sunset Beach neighborhood spend between 15 and 30 minutes commuting one-way to work (34.5% of working residents), which is shorter than the time spent commuting to work for most Americans.

Here most residents (89.4%) drive alone in a private automobile to get to work. In addition, quite a number also carpool with coworkers, friends, or neighbors to get to work (5.3%) . In a neighborhood like this, as in most of the nation, many residents find owning a car useful for getting to work.