Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
Irvine, CA
🏆 Irvine leads 13 of 21 categories
El Monte
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
108,682
Irvine
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Homes cost $429k less ($597,200 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1144/mo less ($1,605 vs $2,749)
Smaller class sizes — 19.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $63,019/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (7.0% vs 5.5%)
Longer commutes — 29.3 min average each way
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $63,019 more per year on average
80% less violent crime than El Monte
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.5%)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
El Monte
Median Home Value
$429k less
$597,200 vs $1,025,700
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Irvine
Median Income
$63,019
$122,948 vs $59,929/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
80% lower
84.0 vs 423.2 per 100k
Irvine
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.5% vs 7.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | Irvine, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,025,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,749⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $122,948 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 23.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High | 40 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 22 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 26.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 70.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 96.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | Irvine Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 67.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 85.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" | 14.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 | 304,527 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 33.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 43.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% ✓ More | 21.8% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 10.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Irvine's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Irvine leads 13 of 21 categories. El Monte wins 8 and Irvine wins 13. 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 El Monte to Irvine or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $1,025,700 median home), income ($59,929 vs $122,948), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and Irvine, CA are about 31 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.