Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Menifee, CA
🏆 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
Menifee
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,871
Violent Crime Index
48
Population
103,680
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
54% less violent crime than Menifee
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $35,077 more per year on average
Commutes run 18 min shorter each way
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (5.5%)
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 8% higher than Menifee
Menifee, CA
Pros
Homes cost $583k less ($442,600 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $803/mo less ($1,946 vs $2,749)
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.8 vs 380/100k)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Smaller class sizes — 23.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $35,077/yr
Higher unemployment (7.1% vs 5.5%)
Longer commutes — 42.5 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$35,077
$122,948 vs $87,871/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
54% lower
84.0 vs 182.8 per 100k
Irvine
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
5.5% vs 7.1% unemployment
Menifee
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 107.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Menifee
Median Home Value
$583k less
$442,600 vs $1,025,700
Menifee
Summer Heat
11.4°F warmer
July avg high 96.5°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Menifee, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $442,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,946⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $87,871 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 42.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 10.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 44 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 48 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 | 38 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C- (64) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 23.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 20.8% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 87.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Menifee Union |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 65.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 96.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" | 13.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 103,680 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 80.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 25.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 17.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Menifee's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Menifee is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 12 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 12 and Menifee 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 Menifee or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $442,600 median home), income ($122,948 vs $87,871), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Menifee, CA are about 34 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.