A-
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A-
  2. Crime & Safety
    C+
  3. Housing
    C-
  4. Nightlife
    A
  5. Good for Families
    A-
  6. Diversity
    A
  7. Jobs
    C+
  8. Weather
    A+
  9. Cost of Living
    D
  10. Health & Fitness
    A+
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A+
  12. Commute
    A
View Full Report Card
Population
112,377

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$606,900
National
$178,600
Median Rent
$1,570
National
$928
Area Feel
Urban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    62%
  • Own
    38%

Costa Mesa Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    C+
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      185
      0
    • Murder
      1
      0
    • Rape
      47
      41
    • Robbery
      108
      0
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      615
      1
    • Theft
      3,135
      2,081
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      412
      0

    Residents

    Diversity
    A
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Median Household Income
    $66,459
    National
    $53,889
    Children
    18%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      11%
      11%
    • Bachelor's degree
      26%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      31%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      16%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      15%
      13%
    Places like Costa Mesa
    • A-
      Orange
      • City in California
      • 183 reviews
    • B-
      Santa Ana
      • City in California
      • 191 reviews
    • A+
      Irvine
      • City in California
      • 154 reviews
    • B
      Anaheim
      • City in California
      • 135 reviews
    More

    Costa Mesa Reviews

    62 reviews
    All Categories
    Costa Mesa has been home to me on and off for the past 25 years. There is plenty to do in this city; from summer time fun at the OC fair to pumpkin patches off of Harbor Blvd in the fall. Costa Mesa is very family friendly with numerous schools, restaurants, and beaches close by. This city also has a great night life for adults, young and old alike, which makes living here exciting year round. Weather you are here for business, pleasure, or living, Costa Mesa has plenty to offer any type of person!
    Review Costa Mesa
    I recently moved to the area of Costa Mesa in order to attend Orange Coast College. First off, I would like to say what a beautiful and spectacular area this is. I am fifteen minutes maximum away from a variety of beaches, the schools here are spectacular, and the homes always leave me in awe. The city is extremely clean and there are so many job opportunities here. Even though this looks and feels like an extremely safe area, there always seems to be an accident or cops dealing with situations that seem pretty ugly. However, I prefer seeing jobs doing their job than feeling unsafe in this city. Love calling this city home!
    Living in Costa Mesa throughout my high school years was amazing, with many places to visit and great places to explore. In a decent small city, Costa Mesa had two high schools to choose from and a wonderful amount of elementary schools to start on. Also convenient with two local malls with movie theaters and the Orange County Fair right next to the Police Department with many events and shows to visit; also with the 55, 73, and 405 freeways being very close, it's more accessible to commute to other cities. There's also Orange Coast College with many programs and transferable classes along side Coastline Community College for many other programs to get accepted to and transfer to Univeristies nearby. Right next to the police department there's also Vanguard University that's private for Christian students with amazing sport teams available. With all the education, events, and local amusements, Costa Mesa is a wonderful city and will continue to be my home no matter where I move.