Sunset Beach California

Located north of the picturesque Huntington Beach in Orange County, California is an extremely cozy and charming beach-town known as Sunset Beach. The small town, inhabiting only 971 people, was annexed by the neighboring Huntington Beach in 2011; yet, the beachfront community has successfully maintained its charming character.  

What is the Community of Sunset Beach like? 

Sunset Beach is home to a very close-knit community that, surprisingly, still prefers to pick up its mail from the nearby central post office. If you happen to be in Sunset Beach, you can expect to be in an exceptionally pleasant company. The town is lit up by live musicals almost every night, with residents stepping out of their homes to revel “just another night” – what for multitudes of city folk would be nothing short of a rare, dreamy getaway.   
Also loved by the residents – and their dogs – is a 14-acre park known as the “Green Belt” that runs parallel to the coast and hosts various festivals and events around the year. Every day, around sunset, the townsfolk can be seen roaming around the park with their dogs, imbibing the breathtaking scenery and soft tender breeze that comes along the waves of the Pacific Ocean.  
In 1948, the enterprising women of Sunset Beach created the Beachcomber’s Carnival – a festival held annually during Mother's Day weekend – to promote education and social activities. The festival is now known as The Sunset Beach Art Festival and typically generates around $40,000 that goes toward various philanthropic activities.  
Besides, the town is also known for the wildest of beaches in Southern California. Its 1.5-mile beach sees droves of surfers dotting the beachfront every year. The town is part of Huntington Beach, which is also known as Surf City USA, and hosts more than 11 million tourists every year. 

What is the Real Estate like in Sunset Beach? 

Buying a house in Sunset Beach is a rather expensive endeavor. Given its limited geography, pristine landscape, and warm tempting weather, the town represents one of the most expensive zip codes in the state of California, and perhaps across the nation. The median listing price of for-sale houses in Sunset Beach, CA is $1387500. Currently, there are around 1890 active houses for sale in the Sunset Beach area, with a typical house sitting around 90 days before selling off the market.  
In January 2021, homes in Sunset Beach typically sold for 3.55% below the asking price. The Sunset Beach market has been termed as “seller’s market” during January 2021 since the market saw more home buyers than sellers. 

How is the Economy of Sunset Beach like? 

Sunset Beach is home to many bars and restaurants that serve the residents throughout the day. Its most famous bar/restaurant is Captain Jack’s which was founded by the renowned surfer, Jack Haley Sr., father of the basketball player, Jack Haley.  
The town has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is markedly lower than the national average unemployment rate of 3.7%. Over the last year, Sunset Beach has seen its job market grow by 0.6%. The Sales Tax rate of 7.8% and Income Tax rate of 9.3% are both higher than the respective national averages of 7.3% and 4.6% - partly explaining the high costs of living in Sunset Beach.  
On average, a Sunset Beach resident earns around $75000 per annum, substantially higher than the US average of $28500. The median household income of almost $89000 in Sunset Beach is also much greater than the US average of approximately $54000. Most of the residents of Sunset Beach work in wholesale trade, retail trade, and the educational services sector.  

What are the Schools like in Sunset Beach? 

There are around 100 schools within a 50-mile vicinity of Sunset Beach. These schools enroll around 1.04 million students. The college closest to the town is College State University Long Beach that spans over 322 acres and proudly stands as the third-largest college campus in the whole of California. The college is only 5 miles away from Sunset Beach, providing residents with an incredible educational facility at their doorstep. The college produces more than 35000 graduates annually and has been rated as the 10th best public college in America.  
The town is also quite near to another giant of an educational institution, the University of Southern California that produces more than 47000 graduates every year.  
Besides, three school districts around Sunset Beach are home to around 28 public schools and 4 private schools. Moreover, Sunset Beach also finds itself in proximity to around 44 public libraries.  
All these educational facilities in or near Sunset Beach create a very lucrative educational landscape for the current and prospective residents of Sunset Beach.  

Sunset Beach in a nutshell 

In short, Sunset Beach is a one-of-its-kind locality that can afford relative isolation while enjoying all the perks of modern-day America. With the town offering exotic views and luxury lifestyle while keeping its charm unsullied, moving to Sunset Beach can never go wrong.