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City

Irvine

#1 in Best Places to Live in Orange County
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • City in California
  • 269 reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A+
  2. Crime & Safety
    B
  3. Housing
    C
  4. Nightlife
    A-
  5. Good for Families
    A+
  6. Diversity
    A+
  7. Jobs
    B
  8. Weather
    A+
  9. Cost of Living
    D
  10. Health & Fitness
    A+
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A
  12. Commute
    A-
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Irvine is a city in California with a population of 246,992. Irvine is in Orange County and is one of the best places to live in California. Living in Irvine offers residents a suburban feel and most residents rent their homes. In Irvine there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families and young professionals live in Irvine and residents tend to have moderate political views. The public schools in Irvine are highly rated.
About Irvine...
Population
246,992

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$718,800
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$1,997
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    52%
  • Own
    48%
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Irvine Rankings

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

Irvine Neighborhood Map

  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    B
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      21
      283
    • Murder
      1
      6
    • Rape
      10
      41
    • Robbery
      20
      136
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      240
      500
    • Theft
      1,094
      2,043
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      67
      284
    Home Security Options for Irvine
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    • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
    • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

    Residents

    Diversity
    A+
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Median Household Income
    $93,823
    National
    $55,322
    Children
    19%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      29%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      39%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      21%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      8%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      3%
      13%

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    Irvine Reviews

    269 reviews
    All Categories
    Irvine is probably one of the safest, cleanest, and greenest cities in CA (if not, in the US)! It is located in Orange County, so it's really easy to go up to LA area or drive down to San Diego. Irvine is home to a lot of high-ranking schools like the University of California Irvine (UCI), Concordia University, Irvine Valley College, the Orange County Center of the University of Southern California (USC), and campuses of California State University Fullerton (CSUF), University of La Verne, and Pepperdine University. This city is really beautiful with streets dotted with flowers and trees. It is very quiet and all neighborhoods are well-maintained. There's a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities.
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    I grew up in Irvine! I have lived in Irvine since 1974 ...I have seen it GROW and Grow and it still has not changed ..and I mean there is a "GREAT SENSE of togetherness" with the people who LIVE in Irvine! THEY LOVE WHERE THEY LIVE! And it's Awesome to be PROUD of it! We respect and take "Care of our Community" by supporting our education for our children, we have churches that nurture our youth, we have businesses that donate to OUR schools, we have diversity, and yes we close our stores early for the safety of our children and residents! Nothing wrong with that! Irvine is a community of HARDWORKING, HIGHLY EDUCATED and successful people living here! And that's OK.
    Irvine, one of the wealthiest cities located in Orange County, which is also one of the wealthiest counties in the US! It is one of the safest cities in the US with great public schools and beautiful houses. Irvine is still developing which means that plenty of new houses and very spacious roads. Though, it also means that Irvine is being taken over because it is one of the hottest cities to be living in right now. Thus, expect the rent here to be outrageously high with homes selling in the millions. I say in about 5-10 years, there will be a lot more people than it is right now. Note that Irvine is a family friendly place, so it's better to settle down here with a family. Not recommended for young singles/couples because there is absolutely no night life here and it's a very quiet city so expect the police to break up any house parties at midnight or earlier! :-)