Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Springfield, MO
🏆 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
Springfield
Missouri
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,450
Violent Crime Index
310⚠ High
Population
168,873
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $79,498 more per year on average
93% less violent crime than Springfield
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 43°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 26% higher than Springfield
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Springfield, MO
Pros
Homes cost $879k less ($146,400 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1871/mo less ($878 vs $2,749)
26% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.8%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.3)
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $79,498/yr
Violent crime (1178.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4184.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$79,498
$122,948 vs $43,450/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
93% lower
84.0 vs 1178.1 per 100k
Springfield
Cost of Living
26% cheaper
COL index 89.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Springfield
Median Home Value
$879k less
$146,400 vs $1,025,700
Springfield
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.5% unemployment
Springfield
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 88.2°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Springfield, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 89.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $146,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $878 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $43,450 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 18.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 266⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 310⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 30.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 91.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | SPRINGFIELD R-XII |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 43.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 46.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 168,873 |
| Median Age | 33.8 ✓ Older | 33.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% ✓ Higher | 42.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% ✓ More | 17.4% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 15.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Springfield's 89.3 (US average = 100).
Springfield is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 15 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 15 and Springfield 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 Springfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $146,400 median home), income ($122,948 vs $43,450), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Springfield, MO are about 1,395 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.