Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Newark, NJ
🏆 Irvine leads 14 of 23 categories
Irvine
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527
Newark
New Jersey
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$46,460
Violent Crime Index
153⚠ High
Population
307,355 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $76,488 more per year on average
86% less violent crime than Newark
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.2 pts lower (5.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
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 3% higher than Newark
Newark, NJ
Pros
Homes cost $713k less ($312,300 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1476/mo less ($1,273 vs $2,749)
Smaller class sizes — 15.6:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $76,488/yr
Violent crime (581.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher unemployment (10.7% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$76,488
$122,948 vs $46,460/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
86% lower
84.0 vs 581.2 per 100k
Irvine
Unemployment
5.2 pp lower
5.5% vs 10.7% unemployment
Newark
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 112.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Newark
Median Home Value
$713k less
$312,300 vs $1,025,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Newark, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 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 | $312,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,273 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $46,460 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 33.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 4.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C+ (85) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 15.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 17.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Newark Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 39.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 86.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 50.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 28.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 | 307,355 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 34.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% ✓ Higher | 23.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 10.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Newark's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Newark is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 14 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 14 and Newark wins 9. 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 Newark or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $312,300 median home), income ($122,948 vs $46,460), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Newark, NJ are about 2,423 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.