Costa Mesa
- City in California
Costa Mesa
- grade A minusOverall Grade
- City in California
- Rating 4.36 out of 5 177 reviews
Report Card
- Public Schoolsgrade B+
- Crime & Safetygrade C
- Housinggrade D
- Nightlifegrade A+
- Good for Familiesgrade B+
- Diversitygrade A
- Jobsgrade C+
- Weathergrade A+
- Cost of Livinggrade D+
- Health & Fitnessgrade A+
- Outdoor Activitiesgrade A+
- Commutegrade A minus
editorial
About
Home Listings
Real Estate
Median Home Value
$841,700
National
$244,900Median Rent
$2,043
National
$1,163Area Feel
Urban Suburban Mix
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Costa Mesa Rankings
Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
Map
Map
Top Public Schools Serving Costa Mesa
Top Private Schools Near Costa Mesa
- grade A+
Sage Hill School
- Rating 4.2 out of 5 103 reviews
- grade A+
Fairmont Preparatory Academy
- Rating 4.58 out of 5 109 reviews
- grade A+
TVT Community Day School
- Rating 4.4 out of 5 191 reviews
- grade A+
Pacific Academy - Irvine
- Rating 4.5 out of 5 8 reviews
- grade A+
Crean Lutheran High School
- Rating 4.03 out of 5 210 reviews
Top Neighborhoods in Costa Mesa
Crime & Safety
Crime & Safety
grade C
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
- Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
- Assault401.7national 282.7
- Murder0.9national 6.1
- Rape60.1national 40.7
- Robbery126.6national 135.5
Property Crimes
- Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
- Burglary491.9national 500.1
- Theft2,717.1national 2,042.8
- Motor Vehicle Theft348national 284
Residents
Working in Costa Mesa
Jobs
grade C+
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$96,391
National
$69,021Similar Places
Costa Mesa Reviews
Rating 4.36 out of 5 177 reviews
I have lived here for about 2 years, I’m originally from the Bay Area but moved here from the central coast. Costa Mesa is ok as far as OC towns go, there are walking trails, Newport and Huntington Beaches are a short drive or bike ride away, there is a large shopping mall-South Coast Plaza, nearby. We have everything you need here, without ever needing to leave town. John Wayne airport is 10 minutes away, and a 40 minute drive to LAX. As others have mentioned though, there’s a large homeless population with addiction problems and untreated mental health disorders. It really sad to see, especially when I’m doing late night food deliveries because my rent is so freaking high I can barely pay my bills every month. I see so many people wandering the streets and shouting. You must make $80k a year to just barely cover the cost of living expenses. My 1 bedroom is on a really bad street near the OC fairgrounds. It’s dirty, there’s no street parking, Avocado street needs a deep pressure wash!
There are many local activities available. I can also see the progress in making the city more walk-able and more transportable. It may still take a while to get to certain locations on foot, so I mainly rely on driving a car, but the bus transportation does help as another form of transportation. My favorite locations include a nearby cinema, Target, and the mall. However, although I am considering them nearby, I still need to rely on a car to travel there at a reasonable time. Even so, I love the size of the city. It's not overwhelmingly populated, yet it still feels busy and productive.
I love Costa Mesa! I moved here in March and my husband and I have loved it so much. It's close to the ocean without being as cold as living right at the beach. We are close to plenty of shopping, food, and various activities. It has been a wonderful experience.
In terms of something that the city needs, it needs more reliable and easily accessible public transportation.
In terms of something that the city needs, it needs more reliable and easily accessible public transportation.