Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Kenosha, WI
🏆 Irvine leads 12 of 23 categories
Irvine
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
Kenosha
Wisconsin
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,963
Violent Crime Index
75
Population
99,493
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $57,985 more per year on average
71% less violent crime than Kenosha
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 31°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Kenosha
Kenosha, WI
Pros
Homes cost $831k less ($194,400 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1670/mo less ($1,079 vs $2,749)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Smaller class sizes — 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $57,985/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$57,985
$122,948 vs $64,963/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
71% lower
84.0 vs 285.7 per 100k
Kenosha
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Kenosha
Median Home Value
$831k less
$194,400 vs $1,025,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Kenosha, WI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $194,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,079 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $64,963 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 24.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 62 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 75 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 | 41 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 14.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 27.5% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 89.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Kenosha School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 31.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F ✓ Warmer | 83.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 36.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 36.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 99,493 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 36.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 58.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 23.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Kenosha's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Kenosha is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 12 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 12 and Kenosha 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 Kenosha or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $194,400 median home), income ($122,948 vs $64,963), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Kenosha, WI are about 1,726 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.