Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Goodyear, AZ
VS
Irvine, CA
🏆 Irvine leads 11 of 21 categories
Goodyear
Arizona
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$97,307
Violent Crime Index
48
Population
97,542
Irvine
California
11
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.
Goodyear, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $630k less ($396,100 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1038/mo less ($1,711 vs $2,749)
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.2 vs 380/100k)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Smaller class sizes — 19.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $25,641/yr
Longer commutes — 29.7 min average each way
Hot summers — July highs average 107°F
Irvine, CA
Pros
54% less violent crime than Goodyear
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $25,641 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 107°F
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)
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Goodyear
Key Differences at a Glance
Goodyear
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Goodyear
Median Home Value
$630k less
$396,100 vs $1,025,700
Goodyear
Summer Heat
22.3°F warmer
July avg high 107.4°F vs 85.1°F
Irvine
Median Income
$25,641
$122,948 vs $97,307/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
54% lower
84.0 vs 182.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Goodyear, AZ | Irvine, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $396,100⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,025,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,711⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,749⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $97,307 | $122,948 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.2% | 23.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 57 | 40 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 | 22 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (88) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 26.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% | 70.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.5% | 96.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Incito Schools (91326) | Irvine Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 66.8°F | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 107.4°F ✓ Warmer | 85.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.0" ✓ Drier | 14.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,542 | 304,527 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.4 ✓ Older | 33.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.8% ✓ Higher | 43.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% ✓ More | 21.8% |
| Over 65 | 18.0% ✓ More | 10.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Goodyear's cost of living index is 101.2 vs Irvine's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Goodyear is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Irvine leads 11 of 21 categories. Goodyear wins 10 and Irvine wins 11. 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 Goodyear to Irvine or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($396,100 vs $1,025,700 median home), income ($97,307 vs $122,948), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Goodyear, AZ and Irvine, CA are about 313 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.