Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Waterbury, CT
🏆 Irvine leads 16 of 23 categories
Irvine
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
Waterbury
Connecticut
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,451
Violent Crime Index
85
Population
114,480
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $71,497 more per year on average
74% less violent crime than Waterbury
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.3 pts lower (5.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 37°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Waterbury
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Waterbury, CT
Pros
Homes cost $863k less ($162,800 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1609/mo less ($1,140 vs $2,749)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Smaller class sizes — 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $71,497/yr
Property crime (2918.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.8% vs 5.5%)
Snowy winters — about 47" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$71,497
$122,948 vs $51,451/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
74% lower
84.0 vs 322.5 per 100k
Irvine
Unemployment
4.3 pp lower
5.5% vs 9.8% unemployment
Waterbury
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 95.1 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Waterbury
Median Home Value
$863k less
$162,800 vs $1,025,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Waterbury, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 95.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $162,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,140 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $51,451 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 27.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 107⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 85 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 16.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 81.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Waterbury School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 37.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F ✓ Warmer | 84.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 52.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 46.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 114,480 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 36.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% ✓ Higher | 43.8% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 13.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Waterbury's 95.1 (US average = 100).
Waterbury is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 16 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 16 and Waterbury wins 7. 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 Waterbury or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $162,800 median home), income ($122,948 vs $51,451), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Waterbury, CT are about 2,479 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.