Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Jacksonville, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Irvine
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527
Jacksonville
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,138
Violent Crime Index
164⚠ High
Population
950,203 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $58,810 more per year on average
87% less violent crime than Jacksonville
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 92°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Jacksonville
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Jacksonville, FL
Pros
Homes cost $783k less ($243,000 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1468/mo less ($1,281 vs $2,749)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.8%)
Smaller class sizes — 19.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $58,810/yr
Violent crime (623.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2494.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$58,810
$122,948 vs $64,138/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
87% lower
84.0 vs 623.8 per 100k
Jacksonville
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 99.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Jacksonville
Median Home Value
$783k less
$243,000 vs $1,025,700
Jacksonville
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.5% unemployment
Jacksonville
Summer Heat
6.7°F warmer
July avg high 91.8°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Jacksonville, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 99.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $243,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,281 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $64,138 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 24.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 11.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 164⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 119⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 19.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 90.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | DUVAL |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 65.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 53.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 | 950,203 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 36.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 57.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 22.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 14.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Jacksonville's 99.2 (US average = 100).
Jacksonville is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Irvine wins 11 and Jacksonville 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 Irvine to Jacksonville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $243,000 median home), income ($122,948 vs $64,138), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Jacksonville, FL are about 2,118 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.