Best city for young professionals? Irvine, CA

A+

Score

70/100

Rank #9 (top 200 cities)

Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

For young professionals, Irvine is a top-ranked pick when you’re optimizing for median household income, plus bachelor’s+ rate. Overall, it lands in the top tier (#9 of 200). The main watch-out is typical rent (2br).

Methodology · Sources · CA rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Irvine ranks here

Median household income: $129,647 (71% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
Bachelor’s+ rate: 71% (104% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
Work-from-home share: 26% (110% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

Typical rent (2BR): $3,063/mo (113% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
Commute 45+ min share: 11% (3% lower than the national median; better for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population

308,160

Estimated total population (ACS).

Male vs female

Male 49%Female 51%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)

$3,063/mo

National median: $1,441/mo

Median household income

$129,647

National median: $75,598

Age 25–34 share

17%

National median: 16%

Bachelor’s+ rate

71%

National median: 35%

Work-from-home share

26%

National median: 12%

Commute 45+ min share

11%

National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City

National median (dataset)

Career

Income and workforce proxies that often correlate with opportunity.

78/100

Affordability

Housing costs that affect early-career budgets.

0/100

Young-adult mix

Age 25–34 presence and broad stability signals.

35/100

Comfort

Commute friction as a time/quality proxy.

89/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

Less than HS

26%

HS / Some college

39%

Bachelor’s

31%

Advanced

Age mix

Share of residents age 25–34 (ACS).

17%

Age 25–34

83%

Other ages

Commute mix

Share of commuters with 45+ min travel time (ACS).

11%

45+ min

89%

Under 45

Map

Open in OpenStreetMap →

Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City

National median (dataset)

Median household income

National median $75,598

$129,647

Bachelor’s+ rate

National median 35%

71%

Work-from-home share

National median 12%

26%

Broadband subscription

National median 91%

96%

Typical rent (2BR)

National median $1,441/mo

$3,063/mo

Age 25–34 share

National median 16%

17%

Below poverty line

National median 15%

12%

Commute 45+ min share

National median 11%

11%

Similar cities (by score)

FAQ

›What is Irvine’s young professionals score and rank?

Irvine, CA scores A+ (70/100) and ranks #9 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.

›Is this based on Irvine city proper or the metro area?

City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.

›What is the population of Irvine, CA?

Population is about 308,160 (ACS 2023, city proper).

›What is the male vs female split in Irvine, CA?

About 49% male and 51% female (ACS 2023).

›What is a typical 2BR rent in Irvine, CA?

Typical rent (2BR) is $3,063/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).

›What is median household income in Irvine, CA?

Median household income is $129,647 (national median: $75,598).

›How large is the 25–34 population in Irvine, CA?

Age 25–34 share is 17% (national median: 16%).

›Where does this data come from for Irvine, CA?

Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (neighborhoods, taxes, commute, schools, safety, and your support network).