Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Urban Honolulu, HI
🏆 Urban Honolulu leads 12 of 22 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
Urban Honolulu
Hawaii
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,772
Violent Crime Index
49
Population
348,547 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
55% less violent crime than Urban Honolulu
Households earn $40,176 more per year on average
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Urban Honolulu
Urban Honolulu, HI
Pros
Rent averages $1015/mo less ($1,734 vs $2,749)
Homes cost $220k less ($805,500 vs $1,025,700)
Violent crime is well below the national average (185.2 vs 380/100k)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 68°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 85°F
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $40,176/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$40,176
$122,948 vs $82,772/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
55% lower
84.0 vs 185.2 per 100k
Irvine
Summer Heat
6.1°F warmer
July avg high 85.1°F vs 79.0°F
Urban Honolulu
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 106.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Urban Honolulu
Median Home Value
$220k less
$805,500 vs $1,025,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 106.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $805,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,734⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $82,772 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 22.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 63 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 49 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 85 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | B+ (108) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 39.2% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 90.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Hawaii Department of Education |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F | 76.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F ✓ Warmer | 79.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 31.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 | 348,547 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 48.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 21.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Urban Honolulu's 106.8 (US average = 100).
Urban Honolulu is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Urban Honolulu leads 12 of 22 categories. Irvine wins 10 and Urban Honolulu wins 12. 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 Urban Honolulu or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $805,500 median home), income ($122,948 vs $82,772), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Urban Honolulu, HI are about 2,581 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.