Residential comparison · 13 facts
Irvine, CA vs Lake Forest, 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 Irvine needs about $79,500 in Lake Forest to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Lake Forest, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $90,500 in Irvine.
A few differences
- Irvine is higher on median household income ($136,719 vs $135,175).
- Lake Forest is lower on cost of living index (158 vs 178).
- Lake Forest is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,747/mo vs $3,154/mo).
Irvine vs Lake Forest · facet by facet
| Facet | Irvine, CA | Lake Forest, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,191,500 | $937,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,154/mo | $2,747/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 | 178 | 158 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $136,719 | $135,175 |
| 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: Irvine, CA · Lake Forest, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Irvine cheaper than Lake Forest?
- Lake Forest has the lower day-to-day cost index (158 vs 178 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Lake Forest equals $85,000 in Irvine?
- A household earning $85,000 in Irvine needs about $79,500 in Lake Forest to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Lake Forest lifestyle costs about $90,500 in Irvine.