Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
St. George, UT
🏆 St. George leads 13 of 23 categories
Irvine
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
St. George
Utah
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,333
Violent Crime Index
55
Population
96,174
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $53,615 more per year on average
60% less violent crime than St. George
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 102°F
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 54°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 19% higher than St. George
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
St. George, UT
Pros
Homes cost $611k less ($415,200 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1414/mo less ($1,335 vs $2,749)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (3.3%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (210.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $53,615/yr
Hot summers — July highs average 102°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$53,615
$122,948 vs $69,333/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
60% lower
84.0 vs 210.0 per 100k
St. George
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 96.1 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
St. George
Median Home Value
$611k less
$415,200 vs $1,025,700
St. George
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
3.3% vs 5.5% unemployment
St. George
Summer Heat
16.8°F warmer
July avg high 101.9°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | St. George, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 96.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $415,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,335⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $69,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 3.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 16.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 52 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 55 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 23.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 32.6% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 94.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Washington District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 54.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 101.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" | 9.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 1.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 96,174 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 37.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 67.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs St. George's 96.1 (US average = 100).
St. George is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. George leads 13 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 10 and St. George wins 13. 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 St. George or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $415,200 median home), income ($122,948 vs $69,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and St. George, UT are about 333 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.