Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Macon-Bibb County, GA
🏆 Irvine leads 12 of 22 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
Macon-Bibb County
Georgia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$48,897
Violent Crime Index
394⚠ High
Population
156,554
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $74,051 more per year on average
94% less violent crime than Macon-Bibb County
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 59°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 26% higher than Macon-Bibb County
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Macon-Bibb County, GA
Pros
Homes cost $871k less ($155,200 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1782/mo less ($967 vs $2,749)
26% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $74,051/yr
Violent crime (1497.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3808.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.5% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$74,051
$122,948 vs $48,897/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
94% lower
84.0 vs 1497.8 per 100k
Irvine
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
5.5% vs 7.5% unemployment
Macon-Bibb County
Cost of Living
26% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Macon-Bibb County
Median Home Value
$871k less
$155,200 vs $1,025,700
Macon-Bibb County
Summer Heat
8.4°F warmer
July avg high 93.5°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Macon-Bibb County, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $155,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $967 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $48,897 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 21.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 309⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 394⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 181⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 25.9% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 86.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Bibb County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 59.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 93.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 156,554 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 52.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 24.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Macon-Bibb County's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Macon-Bibb County is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Irvine leads 12 of 22 categories. Irvine wins 12 and Macon-Bibb County wins 10. 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 Macon-Bibb County or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $155,200 median home), income ($122,948 vs $48,897), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Macon-Bibb County, GA are about 1,961 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.