Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Nampa, ID
🏆 Nampa leads 12 of 23 categories
Irvine
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
Nampa
Idaho
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,346
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
102,598
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $55,602 more per year on average
76% less violent crime than Nampa
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 40°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Nampa
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Nampa, ID
Pros
Homes cost $736k less ($289,400 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1548/mo less ($1,201 vs $2,749)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (3.0%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.4)
Smaller class sizes — 17.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $55,602/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$55,602
$122,948 vs $67,346/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
76% lower
84.0 vs 353.1 per 100k
Nampa
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Nampa
Median Home Value
$736k less
$289,400 vs $1,025,700
Nampa
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
3.0% vs 5.5% unemployment
Nampa
Summer Heat
8.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.3°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Nampa, ID |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $289,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,201 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $67,346 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 3.0% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 70 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 | 35 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 17.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 21.4% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | NAMPA SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 39.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" | 11.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 9.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 102,598 |
| Median Age | 33.8 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 70.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 25.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Nampa's 93.4 (US average = 100).
Nampa is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Nampa leads 12 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 11 and Nampa wins 12. 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 Nampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $289,400 median home), income ($122,948 vs $67,346), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Nampa, ID are about 688 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.