California Heights

At a Glance

• Neighborhood: California Heights (Cal Heights)
• City / ZIP: Long Beach, CA 90807
• Property Types: Spanish Colonial Revival, Tudor, Craftsman bungalows
• Best Known For: Long Beach's largest historic district, Atlantic Avenue dining, neighborhood association
• Adjacent To: Bixby Knolls, Signal Hill

Overview

California Heights — known locally as Cal Heights — is Long Beach's largest historic district, encompassing nearly 1,500 homes built mostly between 1924 and 1950. Spanish Colonial Revival homes with white facades and terra cotta roofs are the signature style, alongside Tudor and Craftsman bungalows on tree-lined streets just north of Signal Hill.

A Neighborhood That Protects Itself

What sets Cal Heights apart is the strength of its neighborhood association. The California Heights Neighborhood Association was named Neighborhood of the Year by Neighborhoods USA in 2012, and its Lamppost Restoration Project and annual Home and Garden Tour have become local institutions. The association also maintains preservation guidelines for the historic district — a meaningful consideration for buyers, but also part of what protects long-term value here.

Real Estate Snapshot

Single-family homes in Cal Heights typically list between $800,000 and just over $1 million, with smaller two-bedroom homes starting closer to $600,000 and larger 2,000+ square foot homes at the top of the range. Condos on the west side of the neighborhood start around $400,000. The median sale price has recently run around $940,000.

Lifestyle & Culture

Atlantic Avenue bisects the neighborhood and serves as its commercial heart, with longstanding favorites like Jongewaard's Bake n' Broil alongside newer additions like Steelcraft Long Beach's food hall. Reservoir Park and a pickleball/badminton center provide recreation, and three golf courses are within two miles, including the historic Virginia Country Club.

Schools

Cal Heights is served by Long Beach Unified School District, with Longfellow Elementary, Hughes Middle School, and Long Beach Polytechnic High School among the highly rated options.

Getting Around

Atlantic Avenue and the 405/710 freeway connections make Cal Heights convenient for commuters, with Signal Hill, Bixby Knolls, and downtown Long Beach all close by.

Is California Heights Right for You?

California Heights is for buyers who value historic architecture, a genuinely active community, and walkable dining — and who are comfortable with the preservation guidelines that come with owning in a historic district. The tradeoff is that exterior changes require more consideration than in a non-historic neighborhood. In exchange, buyers get a neighborhood with a proven track record of maintaining and growing its value, architectural variety that's rare to find this consistently, and one of Long Beach's most walkable commercial corridors at the doorstep.