Costa Mesa, CA
Census place 0616532 · pop 110,330
Home of South Coast Plaza, one of the highest-grossing shopping malls in the United States.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$1,115,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
39.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$3,061/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
734 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2878 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
16 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
54 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-2.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
3.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
9.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
22 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
9.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
22.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
45.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
9.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.61% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$111,505 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
95.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
25.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
Frequently asked
- Is Costa Mesa, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Costa Mesa scores 38/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is housing cost. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Costa Mesa, CA?
- Costa Mesa reports 734 violent crimes per 100k and 2878 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Costa Mesa, CA expensive to live in?
- Costa Mesa has a median home value of $1,115,100 and typical rent around $3,061/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Costa Mesa, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($1,115,100) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Costa Mesa, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (25.7%) — 90/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of South Coast Plaza, one of the highest-grossing shopping malls in the United States.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.