Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Little Rock, AR
🏆 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
Little Rock
Arkansas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,697
Violent Crime Index
440⚠ High
Population
202,218
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $64,251 more per year on average
95% less violent crime than Little Rock
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 51°F
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 26% higher than Little Rock
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Little Rock, AR
Pros
Homes cost $820k less ($205,800 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1743/mo less ($1,006 vs $2,749)
26% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.4%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.1)
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $64,251/yr
Violent crime (1672.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5214.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$64,251
$122,948 vs $58,697/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
95% lower
84.0 vs 1672.0 per 100k
Little Rock
Cost of Living
26% cheaper
COL index 89.1 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Little Rock
Median Home Value
$820k less
$205,800 vs $1,025,700
Little Rock
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.5% unemployment
Little Rock
Summer Heat
6.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.7°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Little Rock, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 89.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $205,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,006 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $58,697 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 18.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 8.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 363⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 440⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 44.1% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 92.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 50.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 52.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 202,218 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 36.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 54.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Little Rock's 89.1 (US average = 100).
Little Rock is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 12 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 12 and Little Rock 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 Little Rock or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $205,800 median home), income ($122,948 vs $58,697), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Little Rock, AR are about 1,450 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.