Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Toms River, NJ
🏆 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
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Toms River
New Jersey
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$92,012
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
92,827
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $22,735 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 42°F
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 86°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 Toms River
Toms River, NJ
Pros
Homes cost $621k less ($356,100 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $726/mo less ($1,592 vs $2,318)
35% less violent crime than Huntington Beach
Violent crime is well below the national average (134.3 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $22,735/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$22,735
$114,747 vs $92,012/yr
Toms River
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 112.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Toms River
Violent Crime
35% lower
134.3 vs 207.3 per 100k
Toms River
Median Home Value
$621k less
$356,100 vs $976,800
Toms River
Summer Heat
6.6°F warmer
July avg high 85.5°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Toms River, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $356,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,592⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $92,012 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 30.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 11.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 | 43 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 | 35 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 53 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 34.4% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 93.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | Toms River Regional School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 41.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 52.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 23.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 92,827 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 42.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% | 80.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% | 18.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Toms River's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Toms River is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Huntington Beach wins 11 and Toms River 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 Toms River or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $356,100 median home), income ($114,747 vs $92,012), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Toms River, NJ are about 2,437 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.