Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Norfolk, VA
🏆 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 ✓ Larger
Norfolk
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,998
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
236,973
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $61,950 more per year on average
82% less violent crime than Norfolk
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 50°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Norfolk
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Norfolk, VA
Pros
Homes cost $772k less ($254,200 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1561/mo less ($1,188 vs $2,749)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Smaller class sizes — 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $61,950/yr
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3772.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.7% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$61,950
$122,948 vs $60,998/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
82% lower
84.0 vs 469.5 per 100k
Irvine
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.7% unemployment
Norfolk
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Norfolk
Median Home Value
$772k less
$254,200 vs $1,025,700
Norfolk
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 88.7°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Norfolk, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $254,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,188 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $60,998 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 22.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 7.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 32.2% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 89.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Norfolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 50.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 88.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 45.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 236,973 |
| Median Age | 33.8 ✓ Older | 32.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 44.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% ✓ More | 20.3% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 12.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Norfolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Norfolk is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 15 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 15 and Norfolk 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 Norfolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $254,200 median home), income ($122,948 vs $60,998), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Norfolk, VA are about 2,334 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.