Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 15 of 23 categories
Huntington Beach
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Wilmington
North Carolina
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,908
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
116,933
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $55,839 more per year on average
57% less violent crime than Wilmington
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 90°F
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 57°F
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Wilmington
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Wilmington, NC
Pros
Homes cost $658k less ($318,600 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $1105/mo less ($1,213 vs $2,318)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.9%)
Smaller class sizes — 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $55,839/yr
Violent crime (482.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3514.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$55,839
$114,747 vs $58,908/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
57% lower
207.3 vs 482.8 per 100k
Wilmington
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Wilmington
Median Home Value
$658k less
$318,600 vs $976,800
Wilmington
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.9% vs 5.4% unemployment
Wilmington
Summer Heat
11.1°F warmer
July avg high 90.0°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $318,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $58,908 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 14.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 15.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 43.6% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 93.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 57.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 116,933 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 37.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 17.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Wilmington is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 15 of 23 categories. Huntington Beach wins 15 and Wilmington wins 8. 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 Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $318,600 median home), income ($114,747 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Wilmington, NC are about 2,284 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.