Signals
South San Jose Hills
Irvine
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 9%
vs62 · Top 38%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs12 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 20%
vs38 · Bottom 3%
Access
95 · Top 36%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | South San Jose Hills | Irvine | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,911 | 311,690 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,806 | $136,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,195 | $64,055 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 11,289/sq mi | 4,750/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $544,400 | $1,191,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,884 | $2,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.3% | 44.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.2% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.3% | 70.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.6% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 84°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.9" | 11.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 34.0 | 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
South San Jose Hills
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Irvine
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.
South San Jose Hills
60
Your Score
—
Area Score
Irvine
60
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: South San Jose Hills, CA · Irvine, CA · How this is calculated: methodology