Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Westminster, CA
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 14 of 21 categories
Huntington Beach
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Westminster
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$80,271
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
90,638
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
52% less violent crime than Westminster
Households earn $34,476 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (5.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Westminster, CA
Pros
Homes cost $200k less ($777,100 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $341/mo less ($1,977 vs $2,318)
Smaller class sizes — 22.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $34,476/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (2498.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.5% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$34,476
$114,747 vs $80,271/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
52% lower
207.3 vs 436.2 per 100k
Huntington Beach
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
5.4% vs 7.5% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Westminster
Median Home Value
$200k less
$777,100 vs $976,800
Westminster
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Westminster, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $777,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,977⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $80,271 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 28.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 116⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 119⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | C- (72) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 22.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 26.0% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 77.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | Westminster |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 12.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 90,638 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 41.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 52.4% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 21.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 17.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Westminster's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 14 of 21 categories. Huntington Beach wins 14 and Westminster 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 Westminster or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $777,100 median home), income ($114,747 vs $80,271), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Westminster, CA are about 4 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.