Residential comparison · 13 facts
Irvine, CA vs Orange, 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 $74,500 in Orange to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Orange, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $96,000 in Irvine.
A few differences
- Irvine is higher on median household income ($136,719 vs $117,113).
- Orange is lower on cost of living index (153 vs 178).
- Orange is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,334/mo vs $3,154/mo).
Irvine vs Orange · facet by facet
| Facet | Irvine, CA | Orange, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,191,500 | $945,800 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,154/mo | $2,334/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 | 153 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $136,719 | $117,113 |
| 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 · Orange, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Irvine cheaper than Orange?
- Orange has the lower day-to-day cost index (153 vs 178 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Orange equals $85,000 in Irvine?
- A household earning $85,000 in Irvine needs about $74,500 in Orange to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Orange lifestyle costs about $96,000 in Irvine.