Anaheim vs Costa Mesa
Anaheim, California versus Costa Mesa, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Costa Mesa edges out Anaheim on overall objective livability (50 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Anaheim | Costa Mesa |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $89k | $105k |
| Cost of Living | $83k | $83k |
| Home Value | $714k | $960k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.69% | 0.67% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.74% | 22.31% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 57°F | 58°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5 in | 11.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 277 days | 256 days |
| Summer Humidity | 55°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 246 days | 316 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 80.1 | 64.7 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 68.5 | 83.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1331/100k | 1580/100k |
| Property Crime | 2778/100k | 3557/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 347,111 | 111,490 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 36.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.69 | 0.62 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 1.06 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 23.6% | 48.8% |
| Black (%) | 2.4% | 1.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 53.3% | 36.2% |
| Asian (%) | 17.4% | 8.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.3% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 13.3/20 | 14.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 11 mi | 3 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.4% | 94.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 18.47 | 74.72 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Anaheim or Costa Mesa more affordable?
- Costa Mesa has the lower cost of living: its index is $83k, compared with Anaheim's $83k and Costa Mesa's $83k. Median rent is $2k in Anaheim versus $2k in Costa Mesa.
- Is Anaheim or Costa Mesa safer?
- Anaheim has the lower violent crime rate. Anaheim reports 1331/100k and Costa Mesa reports 1580/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Anaheim or Costa Mesa?
- The median home value is $714k in Anaheim and $960k in Costa Mesa, so homes are more affordable in Anaheim.