Is Costa Mesa, CA a Good Place to Live?
Costa Mesa is a mid-sized city of 111,490 in California, with a median household income of $104,981 and a 5.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 116 (US average = 100), which is 16% above the national average.
Strengths: Costa Mesa stands out for solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, a higher-than-average crime index. Whether Costa Mesa is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Costa Mesa city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 115.5Costa Mesa's overall cost of living index is 115.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Costa Mesa costs roughly 16% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $959,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,268 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $104,981 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeCosta Mesa's violent crime rate is 737.6 per 100,000 residents — 94% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Costa Mesa is served primarily by Newport-Mesa Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.9:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Newport-Mesa Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 22 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 7 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 18.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 87.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Costa Mesa sees average highs of 67.0°F in January and 78.9°F in July, with 11.2 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 67.0°F |
| Average High — July | 78.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 111,490 | — |
| Median Age | 36.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 56.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 27.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 9.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.0% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: