Irvine CA
California · Pop. 91,950
Irvine, CA: median household income of $77,167, median rent of $1,437/mo, 4.8% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$77,167
per year
Median Rent
$1,437
per month
Median Home
$458k
home value
Unemployment
4.8%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
11.5%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
23 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Irvine, CA Reality Check"
In Irvine, the rent-to-income burden runs around 22% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $77,167 and median rent is $1,437/month. A staggering 55% of renters here are housing-cost-burdened — spending 30% or more of their income just to keep a roof overhead. Median home value: $458,400 — that's 5.9× the median income. 67% of households own their home — unusually high for a major US city. Residents put down roots here. Employment picture: 4.78% unemployment — a healthy job market. Poverty rate: 11.5%. Average commute: 23 minutes — acceptable. Violent crime: 4.5/100k avg monthly rate (632 reported); Property crime: 96.5/100k avg monthly rate (13363 reported). Irvine was founded in 1971 — that's 55 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 65.9 sq miles at 1,395 people/sq mile — sprawling. Elevation: 184 ft — essentially flat — floods are a real conversation. RoastMyCity overall score: 62/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Safety
/100Violent crime: 4.5/100k avg monthly rate (632 reported); Property crime: 96.5/100k avg monthly rate (13363 reported).