Signals
South Whittier
Irvine
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs12 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 15%
vs38 · Bottom 3%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | South Whittier | Irvine | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 55,650 | 311,690 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $100,800 | $136,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,807 | $64,055 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 10,425/sq mi | 4,750/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $708,300 | $1,191,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,908 | $2,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.7% | 44.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 70.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 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 | 11 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.1 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.3 | 34.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.21 | 26.66 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.9% | 37.1% | 2024-25 school 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 Whittier
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Irvine
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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South Whittier
67
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 Whittier, CA · Irvine, CA · How this is calculated: methodology