Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Lakewood, CO
🏆 Irvine leads 14 of 23 categories
Irvine
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
Lakewood
Colorado
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,786
Violent Crime Index
207⚠ High
Population
156,149
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
89% less violent crime than Lakewood
Households earn $40,162 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 45°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 10% higher than Lakewood
Lakewood, CO
Pros
Homes cost $532k less ($494,100 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1084/mo less ($1,665 vs $2,749)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.4%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $40,162/yr
Violent crime (787.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5093.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 58" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$40,162
$122,948 vs $82,786/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
89% lower
84.0 vs 787.2 per 100k
Lakewood
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Lakewood
Median Home Value
$532k less
$494,100 vs $1,025,700
Lakewood
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Lakewood, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $494,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,665⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $82,786 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 27.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 16.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 221⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 207⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 243⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 44.4% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 93.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 44.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 85.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 17.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 58.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 156,149 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 38.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 58.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 17.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Lakewood's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Lakewood is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 14 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 14 and Lakewood wins 9. 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 Lakewood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $494,100 median home), income ($122,948 vs $82,786), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Lakewood, CO are about 814 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.