Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Thornton, CO
🏆 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
Thornton
Colorado
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$95,064
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
141,799
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
69% less violent crime than Thornton
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $27,884 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 48°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 10% higher than Thornton
Thornton, CO
Pros
Homes cost $581k less ($445,200 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $991/mo less ($1,758 vs $2,749)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.6%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Smaller class sizes — 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $27,884/yr
Property crime (2835.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Longer commutes — 30.9 min average each way
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$27,884
$122,948 vs $95,064/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
69% lower
84.0 vs 273.6 per 100k
Thornton
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Thornton
Median Home Value
$581k less
$445,200 vs $1,025,700
Thornton
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.5% unemployment
Thornton
Summer Heat
6.0°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Thornton, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $445,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,758⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $95,064 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 30.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 17.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 30.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 87.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Adams 12 Five Star Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 48.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 16.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 44.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 141,799 |
| Median Age | 33.8 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 72.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 26.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% ✓ More | 10.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Thornton's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Thornton is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 15 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 15 and Thornton 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 Thornton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $445,200 median home), income ($122,948 vs $95,064), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Thornton, CO are about 829 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.