Residential comparison · 13 facts
Irvine, CA vs Santa Ana, 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 $72,500 in Santa Ana to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Santa Ana, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $97,500 in Irvine.
A few differences
- Irvine is higher on median household income ($136,719 vs $93,999).
- Santa Ana is lower on cost of living index (138 vs 178).
- Santa Ana is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,188/mo vs $3,154/mo).
Irvine vs Santa Ana · facet by facet
| Facet | Irvine, CA | Santa Ana, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,191,500 | $713,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,154/mo | $2,188/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 | 138 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $136,719 | $93,999 |
| 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 · Santa Ana, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Irvine cheaper than Santa Ana?
- Santa Ana has the lower day-to-day cost index (138 vs 178 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Santa Ana equals $85,000 in Irvine?
- A household earning $85,000 in Irvine needs about $72,500 in Santa Ana to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Santa Ana lifestyle costs about $97,500 in Irvine.