Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Metairie, LA
🏆 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
Metairie
Louisiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,070
Violent Crime Index
103⚠ High
Population
140,046
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $50,878 more per year on average
78% less violent crime than Metairie
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 91°F
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 63°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 24% higher than Metairie
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Metairie, LA
Pros
Homes cost $736k less ($289,800 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1629/mo less ($1,120 vs $2,749)
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.3%)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.1)
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $50,878/yr
Property crime (2629.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$50,878
$122,948 vs $72,070/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
78% lower
84.0 vs 390.1 per 100k
Metairie
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 91.1 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Metairie
Median Home Value
$736k less
$289,800 vs $1,025,700
Metairie
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.5% unemployment
Metairie
Summer Heat
6.3°F warmer
July avg high 91.4°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Metairie, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 91.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $289,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,120 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $72,070 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 21.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 39.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 92.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Jefferson Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 62.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 91.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 68.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 140,046 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 42.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 62.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 21.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Metairie's 91.1 (US average = 100).
Metairie is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Irvine leads 12 of 22 categories. Irvine wins 12 and Metairie 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 Metairie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $289,800 median home), income ($122,948 vs $72,070), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Metairie, LA are about 1,635 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.