Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Berkeley, CA
VS
Huntington Beach, CA
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 16 of 22 categories
Berkeley
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,716
Violent Crime Index
168⚠ High
Population
121,385
Huntington Beach
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Berkeley, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 73.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $251/mo less ($2,067 vs $2,318)
Smaller class sizes — 19.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (638.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $1,280,300
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Property crime (5229.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
68% less violent crime than Berkeley
Homes cost $304k less ($976,800 vs $1,280,300)
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $10,031 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 59°F
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Berkeley
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 115.5 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$10,031
$114,747 vs $104,716/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
68% lower
207.3 vs 638.8 per 100k
Huntington Beach
Median Home Value
$304k less
$976,800 vs $1,280,300
Huntington Beach
Summer Heat
4.7°F warmer
July avg high 78.9°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Berkeley, CA | Huntington Beach, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,280,300⚠ High | $976,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,067⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,318⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,716 | $114,747 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 29.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 16.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 200⚠ High | 71 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 168⚠ High | 55 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 249⚠ High | 95 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.8% ✓ Higher | 46.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.1% ✓ Higher | 93.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Berkeley Unified | Huntington Beach City Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.9°F | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 78.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.1" | 11.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,385 | 197,481 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.5 | 43.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.3% | 55.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 17.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% | 18.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Berkeley's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Huntington Beach's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Huntington Beach is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 16 of 22 categories. Berkeley wins 6 and Huntington Beach wins 16. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Berkeley to Huntington Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,280,300 vs $976,800 median home), income ($104,716 vs $114,747), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Berkeley, CA and Huntington Beach, CA are about 375 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.