Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Stamford, CT
🏆 Irvine leads 13 of 22 categories
Irvine
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
Stamford
Connecticut
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$100,718
Violent Crime Index
41
Population
135,413
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
47% less violent crime than Stamford
Households earn $22,230 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 38°F
Commutes run 4 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 9% higher than Stamford
Stamford, CT
Pros
Homes cost $441k less ($584,700 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $620/mo less ($2,129 vs $2,749)
Violent crime is well below the national average (157.5 vs 380/100k)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Smaller class sizes — 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $22,230/yr
Longer commutes — 27.8 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$22,230
$122,948 vs $100,718/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
47% lower
84.0 vs 157.5 per 100k
Stamford
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 106.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Stamford
Median Home Value
$441k less
$584,700 vs $1,025,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Stamford, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 106.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $584,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $2,129⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $100,718 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 27.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 14.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 48 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 41 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 | 58 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | A (120) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 12.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 50.4% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 88.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Stamford School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 38.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F ✓ Warmer | 84.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 50.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 34.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 135,413 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 46.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% ✓ More | 19.2% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Stamford's 106.5 (US average = 100).
Stamford is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Irvine leads 13 of 22 categories. Irvine wins 13 and Stamford 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 Stamford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $584,700 median home), income ($122,948 vs $100,718), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Stamford, CT are about 2,454 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.