Costa Mesa, CA vs Imperial, CA
Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.
Score Snapshot
No universal winner
Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.
Costa Mesa
60.6
#1929 nationally
Imperial
71.3
#996 nationally
Imperial leads in crime level (2.1 vs 20.2). Imperial leads in cost of living index (118 vs 197). Costa Mesa leads in median household income ($104,981 vs $83,029).
Metric-by-Metric Breakdown
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | Imperial, CA |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAtHome Score | 60.6 (#1929) | 71.3 (#996) |
| Population | 108,354 | 21,591 |
| Typical Home Value (ZHVI) | $1,424,322 | $445,376 |
| Median Household Income | $104,981 | $83,029 |
| Average Commute | 21.9 min | 18.1 min |
| Walk Score | 65 | N/A |
| Crime Level | 20.2 | 2.1 |
| School Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Cost of Living Index | 197 | 118 |
| Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored | D+2.6 | R+0.9 |
Data coverage note: Imperial is missing data for 1 metric that Costa Mesa has. Scores with less coverage are penalized — see our methodology.
D-
60.6 Score
Costa Mesa, CA
Mid-size California city with community character
Median Home
$1,424,322
Population
108,354
Crime
High
Walk Score
65
Pacific
View Costa Mesa, CA →
C-
71.3 Score
Imperial, CA
Small California city with local appeal
Median Home
$445,376
Population
21,591
Crime
Low
Median Income
$83,029
Pacific
View Imperial, CA →
Try a different matchup
Swap Costa Mesa for: