Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Waterbury, CT
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 16 of 23 categories
Huntington Beach
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Waterbury
Connecticut
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,451
Violent Crime Index
85
Population
114,480
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $63,296 more per year on average
36% less violent crime than Waterbury
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.4 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 37°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Waterbury
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Waterbury, CT
Pros
Homes cost $814k less ($162,800 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $1178/mo less ($1,140 vs $2,318)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Smaller class sizes — 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $63,296/yr
Property crime (2918.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.8% vs 5.4%)
Snowy winters — about 47" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$63,296
$114,747 vs $51,451/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
36% lower
207.3 vs 322.5 per 100k
Huntington Beach
Unemployment
4.4 pp lower
5.4% vs 9.8% unemployment
Waterbury
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 95.1 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Waterbury
Median Home Value
$814k less
$162,800 vs $976,800
Waterbury
Summer Heat
5.1°F warmer
July avg high 84.0°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Waterbury, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 95.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $162,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,140 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $51,451 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 27.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 107⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 85 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 16.7% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 81.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | Waterbury School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 37.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 84.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 52.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 46.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 114,480 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 36.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 43.8% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Waterbury's 95.1 (US average = 100).
Waterbury is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 16 of 23 categories. Huntington Beach wins 16 and Waterbury wins 7. 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 Waterbury or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $162,800 median home), income ($114,747 vs $51,451), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Waterbury, CT are about 2,491 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.