Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
🏆 Irvine leads 12 of 22 categories
Irvine
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
Rancho Cucamonga
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$105,534
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
174,696
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
71% less violent crime than Rancho Cucamonga
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Households earn $17,414 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 94°F
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 8% higher than Rancho Cucamonga
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Pros
Homes cost $368k less ($657,400 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $565/mo less ($2,184 vs $2,749)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $17,414/yr
Longer commutes — 33.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$17,414
$122,948 vs $105,534/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
71% lower
84.0 vs 293.7 per 100k
Rancho Cucamonga
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 107.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Rancho Cucamonga
Median Home Value
$368k less
$657,400 vs $1,025,700
Rancho Cucamonga
Summer Heat
8.7°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Rancho Cucamonga, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $657,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $2,184⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $105,534 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 33.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 10.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 81 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 86 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 25.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 37.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 91.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Alta Loma Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 67.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 17.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 174,696 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 37.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 63.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Rancho Cucamonga's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Rancho Cucamonga is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Irvine leads 12 of 22 categories. Irvine wins 12 and Rancho Cucamonga wins 10. 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 Rancho Cucamonga or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $657,400 median home), income ($122,948 vs $105,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Rancho Cucamonga, CA are about 33 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.