Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Philadelphia, PA
🏆 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
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,537
Violent Crime Index
239⚠ High
Population
1,593,208 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $65,411 more per year on average
91% less violent crime than Philadelphia
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (5.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 8 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 12% higher than Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Pros
Homes cost $810k less ($215,500 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1499/mo less ($1,250 vs $2,749)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $65,411/yr
Violent crime (908.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4548.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$65,411
$122,948 vs $57,537/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
91% lower
84.0 vs 908.7 per 100k
Irvine
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
5.5% vs 8.6% unemployment
Philadelphia
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 103.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Philadelphia
Median Home Value
$810k less
$215,500 vs $1,025,700
Philadelphia
Summer Heat
4.2°F warmer
July avg high 89.3°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Philadelphia, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 103.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $215,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,250 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $57,537 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 32.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 230⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 239⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 217⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 33.6% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 86.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Philadelphia City SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 41.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 89.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 50.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 16.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 | 1,593,208 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 34.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 52.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% ✓ More | 21.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 14.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Philadelphia's 103.5 (US average = 100).
Philadelphia is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 14 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 14 and Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $215,500 median home), income ($122,948 vs $57,537), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Philadelphia, PA are about 2,375 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.