Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Kent, WA
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 17 of 23 categories
Huntington Beach
California
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Kent
Washington
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$86,966
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
135,169
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
58% less violent crime than Kent
Households earn $27,781 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (5.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 48°F
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 3% higher than Kent
Kent, WA
Pros
Homes cost $498k less ($478,400 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $576/mo less ($1,742 vs $2,318)
Smaller class sizes — 18.0:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Cons
Violent crime (489.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $27,781/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Property crime (3771.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$27,781
$114,747 vs $86,966/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
58% lower
207.3 vs 489.7 per 100k
Huntington Beach
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
5.4% vs 7.6% unemployment
Kent
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 113.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Kent
Median Home Value
$498k less
$478,400 vs $976,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Kent, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 113.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $478,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,742⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $86,966 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 10.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 149⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 18.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 87.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | Kent School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 48.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F ✓ Warmer | 78.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 44.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 135,169 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 34.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% | 55.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 10.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Kent's 113.0 (US average = 100).
Kent is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 17 of 23 categories. Huntington Beach wins 17 and Kent wins 6. 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 Kent or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $478,400 median home), income ($114,747 vs $86,966), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Kent, WA are about 971 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.