Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Milwaukee, WI
🏆 Irvine leads 15 of 23 categories
Irvine
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,733
Violent Crime Index
377⚠ High
Population
573,299 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $73,215 more per year on average
94% less violent crime than Milwaukee
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 30°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Milwaukee
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Milwaukee, WI
Pros
Homes cost $868k less ($157,800 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1767/mo less ($982 vs $2,749)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Smaller class sizes — 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $73,215/yr
Violent crime (1430.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2700.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$73,215
$122,948 vs $49,733/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
94% lower
84.0 vs 1430.9 per 100k
Milwaukee
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 95.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Milwaukee
Median Home Value
$868k less
$157,800 vs $1,025,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Milwaukee, WI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 95.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $157,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $982 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $49,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 22.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 9.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 277⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 377⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C (82) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 26.1% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 85.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Milwaukee School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 29.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F ✓ Warmer | 82.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 33.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 39.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 | 573,299 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 ✓ Older | 31.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% ✓ Higher | 41.2% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 25.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 11.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Milwaukee's 95.5 (US average = 100).
Milwaukee is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 15 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 15 and Milwaukee wins 8. 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 Milwaukee or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $157,800 median home), income ($122,948 vs $49,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Milwaukee, WI are about 1,728 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.