Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Kenosha, WI
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Huntington Beach
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Kenosha
Wisconsin
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,963
Violent Crime Index
75
Population
99,493
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $49,784 more per year on average
27% less violent crime than Kenosha
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 31°F
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Kenosha
Kenosha, WI
Pros
Homes cost $782k less ($194,400 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $1239/mo less ($1,079 vs $2,318)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $49,784/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$49,784
$114,747 vs $64,963/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
27% lower
207.3 vs 285.7 per 100k
Kenosha
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Kenosha
Median Home Value
$782k less
$194,400 vs $976,800
Kenosha
Summer Heat
4.9°F warmer
July avg high 83.8°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Kenosha, WI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $194,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,079 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $64,963 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 24.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 | 62 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 75 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 41 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | B (99) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 14.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 27.5% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 89.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | Kenosha School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 31.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 83.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 36.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 36.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 99,493 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% | 58.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 23.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Kenosha's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Kenosha is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Huntington Beach wins 11 and Kenosha 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 Huntington Beach to Kenosha or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $194,400 median home), income ($114,747 vs $64,963), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Kenosha, WI are about 1,737 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.