Irvine receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Irvine
Huntington Beach
Opportunity
66 · Top 26%
vs64 · Top 31%
Growth
53 · Bottom 48%
vs32 · Bottom 20%
Climate
100 · Top 5%
vs100 · Top 5%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 8%
vs12 · Bottom 8%
Housing affordability
38 · Bottom 5%
vs39 · Bottom 7%
Access
91 · Bottom 22%
vs98 · Top 25%
Economic stability
62 · Top 23%
vs67 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Irvine | Huntington Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 311,690 | 195,240 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $136,719 | $120,919 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $64,055 | $64,102 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,750/sq mi | 7,236/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,191,500 | $1,100,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,997 | $2,510 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.5% | 55.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.6% | 49.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.8% | 7.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,703 | 322 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.5 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -46.4% | -13.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.2" | 11.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.0 | 44.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Irvine
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Huntington Beach
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Irvine
60
Your Score
57
Area Score
Huntington Beach
59
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Irvine, CA · Huntington Beach, CA · How this is calculated: methodology