Residential comparison · 13 facts
Costa Mesa, CA vs Fountain Valley, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Costa Mesa needs about $84,500 in Fountain Valley to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Fountain Valley, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $85,500 in Costa Mesa.
A few differences
- Fountain Valley is higher on median household income ($115,237 vs $111,505).
- Costa Mesa is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,492/mo vs $2,643/mo).
- Fountain Valley is lower on median home price ($1,072,300 vs $1,115,100).
Costa Mesa vs Fountain Valley · facet by facet
| Facet | Costa Mesa, CA | Fountain Valley, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,115,100 | $1,072,300 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,492/mo | $2,643/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 165 | 165 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $111,505 | $115,237 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Costa Mesa, CA · Fountain Valley, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Costa Mesa cheaper than Fountain Valley?
- Costa Mesa and Fountain Valley display the same day-to-day cost index; the differences show up facet by facet in the table above.
- What household income in Fountain Valley equals $85,000 in Costa Mesa?
- A household earning $85,000 in Costa Mesa needs about $84,500 in Fountain Valley to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Fountain Valley lifestyle costs about $85,500 in Costa Mesa.