Residential comparison · 13 facts
Costa Mesa, CA vs Huntington Beach, 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 $85,000 in Huntington Beach to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Huntington Beach, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Costa Mesa.
A few differences
- Huntington Beach is higher on median household income ($120,919 vs $111,505).
- Costa Mesa is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,492/mo vs $2,543/mo).
- Huntington Beach is lower on median home price ($1,100,000 vs $1,115,100).
Costa Mesa vs Huntington Beach · facet by facet
| Facet | Costa Mesa, CA | Huntington Beach, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,115,100 | $1,100,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,492/mo | $2,543/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 | $120,919 |
| 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 · Huntington Beach, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Costa Mesa cheaper than Huntington Beach?
- Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach display the same day-to-day cost index; the differences show up facet by facet in the table above.
- What household income in Huntington Beach equals $85,000 in Costa Mesa?
- A household earning $85,000 in Costa Mesa needs about $85,000 in Huntington Beach to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Huntington Beach lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Costa Mesa.