The Town FilesIrvine, California
City in Orange County · population 307,670 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,191,500
- Household income
- $136,719
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 34.0
Irvine is a city of 307,670 people in Orange County, California. The median home is worth $1,191,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 99% of California towns, more upscale than 90% of California towns, better for cycling than 86% of California towns.
How Irvine ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Irvine is worth $1,191,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.7 times the median household income of $136,719, which is more affordable than 19% of California towns. Median rent is $2,997 a month. 44.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Irvine | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,191,500 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,997 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $136,719 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 44.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Irvine
| People | Irvine | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 39.8% | — |
| Work from home | 28.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in Irvine
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 43.3°F. About 14.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 35 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Irvine since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 7, 1966 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 22, 2007.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on January 31, 1979.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, chemical.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 16, 2026 | Fire | FM-5679: Norte Fire |
| May 25, 2026 | Chemical | EM-3646: Chemical Release |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| May 12, 2022 | Fire | FM-5439: Coastal Fire |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 1,661,276 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $81,403 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Irvine itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in Irvine
53 public schools with 45,271 students, about 26.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arnold O. Beckman High | 9-12 | 2,713 | 26.3 |
| Portola High | 9-12 | 2,503 | 26.3 |
| Northwood High | 9-12 | 2,310 | 26.9 |
| University High | 9-12 | 2,226 | 26.8 |
| Woodbridge High | 9-12 | 2,224 | 25.3 |
| Irvine High | 9-12 | 1,951 | 26.0 |
| Orchard Hills | K-8 | 1,371 | 28.6 |
| Sierra Vista Middle | 7-8 | 1,188 | 27.0 |
| Jeffrey Trail Middle | 7-8 | 1,118 | 26.6 |
| Woodbury Elementary | K-6 | 1,089 | 30.3 |
| Beacon Park | K-8 | 1,071 | 28.9 |
| Stonegate Elementary | K-6 | 1,029 | 30.3 |
Towns near Irvine
- Tustin, CA4.3 mi · 80,276 people · home $950,400
- Laguna Woods, CA5.2 mi · 17,644 people · home $394,600
- Lake Forest, CA5.7 mi · 85,858 people · home $937,000
- North Tustin, CA6.1 mi · 25,718 people · home $1,347,800
- Newport Beach, CA6.5 mi · 85,239 people · home $2,000,001
- Aliso Viejo, CA7.3 mi · 52,176 people · home $917,900
- Laguna Hills, CA7.4 mi · 31,374 people · home $1,012,300
- Santa Ana, CA7.6 mi · 310,227 people · home $713,000
Irvine questions
Is Irvine, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Irvine scores better for retirees than 44% of California towns and quieter than 12%. 10.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.0).
How much does a house cost in Irvine?
The median owner-occupied home in Irvine is valued at $1,191,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $136,719, so homes cost about 8.7 times income. Median rent is $2,997 a month.
What is the weather like in Irvine?
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 43.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Irvine get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Irvine since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 7, 1966. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)