Irvine vs Lake Elsinore
Irvine, California versus Lake Elsinore, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Irvine edges out Lake Elsinore on overall objective livability (47 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Irvine | Lake Elsinore |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $123k | $90k |
| Cost of Living | $83k | $83k |
| Home Value | $1.0M | $466k |
| Monthly Rent | $3k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.85% | 1.07% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 23.28% | 21.77% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 6.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 57°F | 55°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1 in | 11.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 277 days | 277 days |
| Summer Humidity | 55°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 277 days | 166 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 85.8 | 86.0 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 55 AQI |
| School Quality | 56.2 | 53.7 |
| Violent Crime | 434/100k | 736/100k |
| Property Crime | 1614/100k | 2482/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 304,527 | 69,993 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 32.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.63 | 0.69 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 35.7% | 31.0% |
| Black (%) | 1.7% | 6.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 11.2% | 52.3% |
| Asian (%) | 44.1% | 6.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.2% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 43 min |
| Walkability | 14.0/20 | 13.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 32 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.3% | 93.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 28.90 | 18.57 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Good |
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 Irvine or Lake Elsinore more affordable?
- Lake Elsinore has the lower cost of living: its index is $83k, compared with Irvine's $83k and Lake Elsinore's $83k. Median rent is $3k in Irvine versus $2k in Lake Elsinore.
- Is Irvine or Lake Elsinore safer?
- Irvine has the lower violent crime rate. Irvine reports 434/100k and Lake Elsinore reports 736/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Irvine or Lake Elsinore?
- The median home value is $1.0M in Irvine and $466k in Lake Elsinore, so homes are more affordable in Lake Elsinore.