Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Richmond, CA
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 18 of 22 categories
Huntington Beach
California
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Richmond
California
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,618
Violent Crime Index
243⚠ High
Population
115,619
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
78% less violent crime than Richmond
Households earn $28,129 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
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)
Richmond, CA
Pros
Homes cost $352k less ($624,800 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $465/mo less ($1,853 vs $2,318)
Cooler summers — July highs near 71°F vs 79°F
Smaller class sizes — 22.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (923.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $28,129/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Property crime (2762.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 115.5 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$28,129
$114,747 vs $86,618/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
78% lower
207.3 vs 923.1 per 100k
Huntington Beach
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.9% unemployment
Huntington Beach
Summer Heat
8.1°F warmer
July avg high 78.9°F vs 70.8°F
Richmond
Median Home Value
$352k less
$624,800 vs $976,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Richmond, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 118.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $624,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,853⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $86,618 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 34.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 11.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 243⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 132⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | C+ (86) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 22.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 32.1% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 79.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | West Contra Costa Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 58.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F ✓ Warmer | 70.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 24.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 115,619 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 51.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 21.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 14.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Richmond's 118.2 (US average = 100).
Huntington Beach is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 18 of 22 categories. Huntington Beach wins 18 and Richmond wins 4. 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 Richmond or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $624,800 median home), income ($114,747 vs $86,618), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Richmond, CA are about 382 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.