City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Irvine, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Irvine - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

308,160
Residents
$129,647
Median income
$1,115,400
Median home
$3,236
Median rent (state)

Irvine - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Irvine lands in the 90th percentile for household income and the 47th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

90th
percentile, household income
98th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
47th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Irvine, CA

308,160 people live in Irvine, California - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $129,647 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 8.6%. Home values in Irvine run a median of $1,115,400, and the median resident age is 33.9 years. 70.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 62.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 3,730 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 49% from five years earlier. Irvine reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1473.7 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $3,236 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Irvine workers runs 18.0 minutes, with 60.8% driving alone and 25.9% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

308,160 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$129,647 /yr

Poverty 8.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Irvine compare to other US cities?

Where Irvine sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 90% higher than other cities
Home value 98% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 47% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at California, Irvine ranks #136 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Irvine against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Irvine's strongest outlier among California cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Irvine ranks #96 - the 93rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Irvine only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#263 of 1,338
80th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#138 of 1,458
82nd percentile in California
Median Home Value
#188 of 1,343
86th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#577 of 1,450
60th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#96 of 1,458
93rd percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

90thIncome percentile
47thSafety percentile

90th percentile nationally for median household income · 47th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Irvine's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Irvine's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 46 Avg. percentile National median
Irvine's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Irvine's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,115,400 2nd percentile more affordable than 2% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Irvine $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Irvine, CA Irvine, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Irvine, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Irvine, CA median $129,647/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Irvine, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Irvine, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 70.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
308,160
Median Income
$129,647
Median Home Value
$1,115,400
Median Age
33.9
Poverty Rate
8.6%
Labor force participation
62.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
70.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1473.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
84.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1389.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
52
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
300,000 residents305,000 residents310,000 residents315,000 residents320,000 residents325,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 308,368 residents 318,764 residents ▲ +3.4%
Irvine's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
3,730
housing units authorized
Single-Family
959
detached homes
Multifamily
2,771
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
12.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2,509
2020 2,040
2021 2,362
2022 1,492
2023 1,029
2024 3,730

Permit volume increased 49% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
18.0 minutes
Drive Alone
60.8%
Carpool
6.0%
Public Transit
0.9%
Walk
3.7%
Work from Home
25.9%
Other
2.7%

Based on 152,733 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Irvine sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,236/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Santa Ana
311,639 people
Riverside
316,241 people
Stockton
320,470 people
Chula Vista
275,030 people
Anaheim
344,553 people
Santa Clarita
229,021 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Irvine's 308,160 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

St. Paul, MN
307,762 people
Newark, NJ
307,188 people
Cincinnati, OH
309,595 people
Orlando, FL
311,732 people
Pittsburgh, PA
303,620 people
Corpus Christi, TX
317,383 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Irvine's $129,647 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Northwest Harbor, NY
$129,653 median income
Maplewood, WA
$129,659 median income
Newark, IL
$129,688 median income
Shorewood Hills, WI
$129,688 median income
Carlisle Barracks, PA
$129,706 median income
North Garden, VA
$129,583 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Irvine, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Irvine, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 38.7% 44.1% 11.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.3% White 38.7% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 44.1% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.4% Some other race 3.3% Two or more races 11.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Irvine compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Irvine (this city) 308,160 $129,647
Santa Ana 311,639 $88,354
Riverside 316,241 $88,575
Stockton 320,470 $76,851
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Irvine, CA?

What is the population of Irvine, CA? +

308,160 people live in Irvine, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Irvine, CA? +

The median household income in Irvine is $129,647 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Irvine? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Irvine; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Irvine, CA safe? +

Irvine has a total crime rate of 1473.7 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Irvine, CA? +

Irvine's median home value sits at $1,115,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.