Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Reno, NV
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 13 of 23 categories
Huntington Beach
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481
Reno
Nevada
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$73,073
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High
Population
265,196 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $41,674 more per year on average
61% less violent crime than Reno
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 46°F
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 93°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 13% higher than Reno
Reno, NV
Pros
Homes cost $515k less ($462,100 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $958/mo less ($1,360 vs $2,318)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Smaller class sizes — 19.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $41,674/yr
Violent crime (529.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$41,674
$114,747 vs $73,073/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
61% lower
207.3 vs 529.6 per 100k
Reno
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 102.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Reno
Median Home Value
$515k less
$462,100 vs $976,800
Reno
Summer Heat
13.8°F warmer
July avg high 92.7°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Reno, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 102.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $462,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,360⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $73,073 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 116⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 19.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 35.3% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 89.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 45.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 92.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" | 9.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 33.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 | 265,196 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 36.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 48.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 19.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 15.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Reno's 102.8 (US average = 100).
Reno is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 13 of 23 categories. Huntington Beach wins 13 and Reno wins 10. 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 Reno or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $462,100 median home), income ($114,747 vs $73,073), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Reno, NV are about 417 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.