Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
New York, NY
🏆 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
New York
New York
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$76,607
Violent Crime Index
177⚠ High
Population
8,622,467 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
87% less violent crime than New York
Households earn $46,341 more per year on average
Commutes run 17 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (5.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 3% higher than New York
New York, NY
Pros
Rent averages $1035/mo less ($1,714 vs $2,749)
Homes cost $294k less ($732,100 vs $1,025,700)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $46,341/yr
Violent crime (671.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher unemployment (7.6% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$46,341
$122,948 vs $76,607/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
87% lower
84.0 vs 671.0 per 100k
Irvine
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
5.5% vs 7.6% unemployment
New York
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 112.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
New York
Median Home Value
$294k less
$732,100 vs $1,025,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | New York, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $732,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,714⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $76,607 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 41.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 13.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 151⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 177⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 113⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | B+ (108) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 40.2% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 83.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 39.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F ✓ Warmer | 84.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 47.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 24.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 | 8,622,467 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 37.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% ✓ Higher | 32.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% ✓ More | 20.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 15.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs New York's 112.5 (US average = 100).
New York is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 15 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 15 and New York 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 New York or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $732,100 median home), income ($122,948 vs $76,607), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and New York, NY are about 2,435 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.