Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Yonkers, NY
🏆 Irvine leads 14 of 23 categories
Irvine
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
Yonkers
New York
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,208
Violent Crime Index
82
Population
209,780
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
73% less violent crime than Yonkers
Households earn $44,740 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)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (5.5%)
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 3% higher than Yonkers
Yonkers, NY
Pros
Homes cost $569k less ($456,500 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1090/mo less ($1,659 vs $2,749)
Smaller class sizes — 17.1:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $44,740/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 5.5%)
Longer commutes — 34.8 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$44,740
$122,948 vs $78,208/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
73% lower
84.0 vs 311.8 per 100k
Irvine
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.6% unemployment
Yonkers
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 112.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Yonkers
Median Home Value
$569k less
$456,500 vs $1,025,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Yonkers, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $456,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,659⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $78,208 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 34.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 69 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 82 |
| 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 (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 17.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 83.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | YONKERS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 39.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 85.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 51.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 32.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 209,780 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 39.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 48.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Yonkers's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Yonkers is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 14 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 14 and Yonkers 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 Yonkers or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $456,500 median home), income ($122,948 vs $78,208), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Yonkers, NY are about 2,438 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.