How big is Seal Beach, California, in square miles?
The U.S. Census Bureau's 2025 Gazetteer lists Seal Beach city at 11.324 square miles of land and 0.54 square miles of water.[1] The same file lists neighboring Los Alamitos at 4.008 square miles of land and 0.062 of water, and Orange County at 793.249 square miles of land and 156.481 of water.[1]
Why it matters: if you compare Seal Beach with a neighbor, compare land area before you compare listing counts. Ask whether a figure covers the whole city or one corridor, and confirm any parcel-level question with the City.
How many people live in Seal Beach, CA?
The U.S. Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimates put Seal Beach city at 24,075 people in 2025, down from 24,294 in 2024 and 25,116 in the 2020 figure in the same file.[2] For Orange County, the same Bureau series shows 3,149,507 people in 2025 against 3,158,027 in 2024, a change of minus 8,520 for 2025.[3]
Why it matters: if your tenants depend on local residents, check resident counts against visitor numbers below before you assume a steady customer base. These are estimates, not a count of customers at any one address.
How is Seal Beach governed?
The City of Seal Beach's adopted FY 2026-27 budget says the city operates under the City Council/City Manager form and is governed by a five-member city council elected by district, with the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem chosen from among the council for a one-year term.[4] The same document says the city charter was adopted in 1964.[4] The Golden Rain Foundation, which runs Leisure World, says Leisure World elects two of the city's five council members.[7]
On the founding date, the sources differ. The National Park Service nomination says Seal Beach was incorporated on October 25, 1915,[6] while the city's budget says October 27, 1915.[4] Both agree on October 1915.
Why it matters: if you need a use approval or a change to a Main Street rule, ask the City which body decides your request and how often it meets.
How long is the Seal Beach beach, and how many visitors come each year?
The City of Seal Beach's FY 2026-27 budget gives two sets of figures. Its community profile says the city's one and a half miles of beaches and the public pier attract more than 1,500,000 visitors each year, while its capital improvement section says the beach and pier draw approximately two million visitors per year and refers to approximately two miles of dry sand beach.[4] The budget also calls Seal Beach home to the second-largest wooden pier along the California coastline and the northern gateway to Orange County's 42 miles of coastline.[4]
Why it matters: the two city figures differ, so cite the one you use and name the page. If you model foot traffic for a storefront, ask for counts near the address instead of relying on a citywide estimate.
What are the Naval Weapons Station and the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge?
The City of Seal Beach's budget community profile lists the U.S. Naval Weapons Station, the first Leisure World Retirement Community and the 1,000-acre Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge as local features.[4] The California State Military Museum says the installation was commissioned in 1944 as a Naval Ammunition and Net Depot, and that the Navy acquired 4,889.12 acres between 1944 and 1946.[8] That page also contains an account that says the depot was activated in 1942, so the start year depends on the source.[8]
Why it matters: if you are searching for land or a building, ask the City or a California-licensed broker which parcels near these holdings are privately owned. The sources on this page do not say.
Is Boeing in Seal Beach, and what does it mean for employment?
The City of Seal Beach's budget says the city is home to the Boeing Company Integrated Defense Systems international headquarters, and its city history says Boeing continues to be one of the city's major employers.[4] The city's Draft EIR lists light industrial land at 117.0 acres in a 2003 inventory, and warns that the table may not reflect current land use.[9]
Why it matters: if your business serves large employers, ask what share of their activity happens inside the city, and confirm how a parcel is zoned today before you rely on a 2003 acreage table.
What is the Seal Beach hotel tax, and how many hotels are there?
The City of Seal Beach's budget says the approved Transient Occupancy Tax rate is 12 percent and that the city's three hotels are at capacity; it gives no room count.[4] The city's remittance form applies a 12 percent rate, excludes stays of 31 consecutive days or more, and covers hotels, motels and short-term rentals.[5] The budget table shows hotel tax revenue of 2,052,664 dollars in FY 2024-25 (actual), 1,900,000 dollars in FY 2025-26 (estimated) and 1,998,000 dollars in FY 2026-27 (budgeted).[4]
Why it matters: with three hotels and no published room count, ask an owner or a California-licensed broker for room counts and occupancy before you value a lodging asset.
Where does Seal Beach city revenue come from?
The City of Seal Beach's FY 2026-27 budget lists total General Fund revenues, including transfers in, of 50,006,827 dollars.[4] The table below shows four tax lines from the budget. The budget says Measure GG, approved by Seal Beach voters in November 2024, raised the local transaction tax rate to 1.5 percent, and that the city receives 1 percent of sales tax.[4]
- Property tax is the largest line, per the City of Seal Beach budget.[4]
- The transaction and use tax is described as the second-largest source.[4]
- If you underwrite a retail or restaurant deal, check the current local tax rate with the City.
| Revenue line | FY 2026-27 amount | Share of General Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Property taxes | $17.0 million | 34% |
| Transaction and use tax (Measure BB and GG) | $9.1 million | About 18% |
| Sales and use tax | $4.8 million | 9.6% |
| Transient occupancy (hotel) tax | $2.0 million | 4.0% |
How does Seal Beach compare with nearby Orange County cities?
The U.S. Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimates give the populations below.[2] Long Beach, at 450,469 people in 2025, borders Seal Beach but is in Los Angeles County, not Orange County.[2]
Why it matters: if you compare Seal Beach with Los Alamitos, Cypress or Huntington Beach, compare each city's own zoning, not just population.
| City | 2020 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Seal Beach | 25,116 | 24,075 |
| Los Alamitos | 11,772 | 11,702 |
| Cypress | 50,052 | 48,781 |
| Huntington Beach | 198,480 | 191,451 |
If a figure here shapes a lease or purchase decision, confirm it with the City and with a California-licensed broker before you commit.
Prepare a note about what you are weighingQuestions people ask
How many people live in Seal Beach, CA?
The U.S. Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimates show 24,075 people in Seal Beach city in 2025, down from 24,294 in 2024. The 2020 figure in the same file is 25,116. These are estimates, so use them as a general guide to resident demand and not a count of customers at a particular address.
How many hotels does Seal Beach have?
The City of Seal Beach's adopted FY 2026-27 budget says the city has three hotels and that they are at capacity. The budget gives no room count. The hotel tax rate it states is 12 percent. For a lodging deal, ask the owner or a California-licensed broker for rooms and occupancy.
How many visitors does the Seal Beach pier get?
The City of Seal Beach's budget gives two figures: more than 1,500,000 visitors each year in its community profile, and approximately two million visitors per year in its capital improvement section. The numbers differ, so name the page you quote. Neither one is a count at a specific storefront.
How big is Seal Beach in square miles?
The U.S. Census Bureau's 2025 Gazetteer lists Seal Beach city at 11.324 square miles of land and 0.54 square miles of water. It lists Los Alamitos at 4.008 square miles of land. Confirm any parcel boundary or zoning question with the City before relying on these totals.
How is the Seal Beach City Council elected?
The City of Seal Beach's adopted FY 2026-27 budget says the city is governed by a five-member city council elected by district, under the council and city manager form. The council picks the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem from among its members for one-year terms. Ask the City which body decides your request.
Is Boeing based in Seal Beach?
The City of Seal Beach's adopted FY 2026-27 budget says the city is home to the Boeing Company Integrated Defense Systems international headquarters, and its city history calls Boeing one of the city's major employers. The budget gives no employee count here, so ask Boeing or the City for headcount.
Sources
- 2025 Gazetteer place file, U.S. Census Bureau, 2025. Accessed October 13, 2026.
- Vintage 2025 subcounty population estimates, California (sub-est2025_6.csv), U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025. Accessed October 13, 2026.
- Vintage 2025 county population estimates (co-est2025-alldata.csv), U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025. Accessed October 13, 2026.
- Adopted Operating and Capital Improvement Budget FY 2026-27, City of Seal Beach, adopted June 8, 2026. Accessed October 13, 2026.
- Transient Occupancy Tax remittance form, City of Seal Beach, 2025. Accessed October 13, 2026.
- National Register of Historic Places nomination form, Seal Beach City Hall, National Park Service, form prepared 1982. Accessed October 13, 2026.
- Seal Beach Leisure World history, Golden Rain Foundation. Accessed October 13, 2026.
- Housing Element and Zoning Code Updates Draft EIR, Section 3.10 Land Use, City of Seal Beach, 2025, with 2003 data. Accessed October 13, 2026.