Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Oklahoma City, OK
🏆 Oklahoma City 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
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,251
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
681,088 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $58,697 more per year on average
88% less violent crime than Oklahoma City
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 49°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 25% higher than Oklahoma City
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Oklahoma City, OK
Pros
Homes cost $829k less ($196,700 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1737/mo less ($1,012 vs $2,749)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.5%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Smaller class sizes — 16.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $58,697/yr
Violent crime (676.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2893.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$58,697
$122,948 vs $64,251/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
88% lower
84.0 vs 676.0 per 100k
Oklahoma City
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Oklahoma City
Median Home Value
$829k less
$196,700 vs $1,025,700
Oklahoma City
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.5% unemployment
Oklahoma City
Summer Heat
8.0°F warmer
July avg high 93.1°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Oklahoma City, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $196,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,012 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $64,251 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 8.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 178⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 33.2% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | OKLAHOMA CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 49.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 93.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 37.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 | 681,088 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 34.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 13.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Oklahoma City's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Oklahoma City is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Oklahoma City leads 12 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 11 and Oklahoma City 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 Oklahoma City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $196,700 median home), income ($122,948 vs $64,251), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Oklahoma City, OK are about 1,157 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.