Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Lawrence, KS
🏆 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
Lawrence
Kansas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,834
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High
Population
95,103
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $63,114 more per year on average
82% less violent crime than Lawrence
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 38°F
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Lawrence
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Lawrence, KS
Pros
Homes cost $778k less ($247,300 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1711/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,749)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $63,114/yr
Violent crime (461.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$63,114
$122,948 vs $59,834/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
82% lower
84.0 vs 461.5 per 100k
Lawrence
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Lawrence
Median Home Value
$778k less
$247,300 vs $1,025,700
Lawrence
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 88.6°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Lawrence, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $247,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $59,834 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 11.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 121⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | A- (116) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 55.5% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 95.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Lawrence |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 38.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 39.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 10.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 95,103 |
| Median Age | 33.8 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% ✓ Higher | 43.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 12.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Lawrence's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Lawrence is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 14 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 14 and Lawrence 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 Lawrence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $247,300 median home), income ($122,948 vs $59,834), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Lawrence, KS are about 1,301 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.