Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Olathe, KS
🏆 Olathe leads 15 of 23 categories
Huntington Beach
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Olathe
Kansas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$108,077
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
142,114
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 39°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 88°F
Households earn $6,670 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Olathe
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Olathe, KS
Pros
Homes cost $659k less ($317,900 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $1089/mo less ($1,229 vs $2,318)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (3.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (196.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $6,670/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$6,670
$114,747 vs $108,077/yr
Olathe
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Olathe
Violent Crime
5% lower
196.0 vs 207.3 per 100k
Olathe
Median Home Value
$659k less
$317,900 vs $976,800
Olathe
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.4% unemployment
Olathe
Summer Heat
9.3°F warmer
July avg high 88.2°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Olathe, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $317,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,229 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $108,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 3.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 21.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 16.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 45 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 4.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% | 50.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% | 94.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | School for Deaf |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 38.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 40.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 142,114 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% | 73.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 26.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Olathe's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Olathe is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Olathe leads 15 of 23 categories. Huntington Beach wins 8 and Olathe wins 15. 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 Olathe or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $317,900 median home), income ($114,747 vs $108,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Olathe, KS are about 1,336 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.