Costa Mesa CA vs Fort Lauderdale FL — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026
Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)
Costa Mesa, CA
California · Population: N/A
- Median HH IncomeN/A
- Median Home Price$1,416,645
- UnemploymentN/A
- Bachelor's+N/A
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Florida · Population: 183,032
- Median HH Income$79,935
- Median Home Price$510,297
- Unemployment5.3%
- Bachelor's+39.8%
Detailed Comparison
Demographics
Population
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
183,032
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
N/A
Median Age
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
42.9
Foreign Born
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
26.7%
White
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
51.3%
Black
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
28.8%
Asian
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
1.6%
Hispanic
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
20.1%
Spanish at Home
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
N/A
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | N/A | 183,032 | - |
| Pop. Density / sq miLower = more space | N/A | N/A | - |
| Median Age | N/A | 42.9 | - |
| Foreign Born | N/A | 26.7% | - |
| White | N/A | 51.3% | - |
| Black | N/A | 28.8% | - |
| Asian | N/A | 1.6% | - |
| Hispanic | N/A | 20.1% | - |
| Spanish at Home | N/A | N/A | - |
Economy
Median HH Income
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
$79,935
Per Capita Income
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
$57,845
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Costa Mesa
$77,230
Costa Mesa +
Fort Lauderdale
$65,328
Unemployment Rate
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
5.3%
Poverty Rate
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
15.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
39.8%
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median HH Income | N/A | $79,935 | - |
| Per Capita Income | N/A | $57,845 | - |
| Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)BEA MSA-level | $77,230 | $65,328 | Costa Mesa + |
| Unemployment Rate | N/A | 5.3% | - |
| Poverty Rate | N/A | 15.2% | - |
| Bachelor's Degree+ | N/A | 39.8% | - |
Housing
Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Costa Mesa
$1,416,645
Fort Lauderdale
$510,297
Fort Lauderdale +
Homeownership Rate
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
53.8%
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home ValueZillow ZHVI / Census ACS | $1,416,645 | $510,297 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Homeownership Rate | N/A | 53.8% | - |
Safety
Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Costa Mesa
503
Fort Lauderdale
324
Fort Lauderdale +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Costa Mesa
2388
Fort Lauderdale
1453
Fort Lauderdale +
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 503 | 324 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Property Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 2388 | 1453 | Fort Lauderdale + |
Health
Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
25.7%
Costa Mesa +
Fort Lauderdale
30.3%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
9.3%
Costa Mesa +
Fort Lauderdale
12.8%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Costa Mesa
17.9%
Fort Lauderdale
16.2%
Fort Lauderdale +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
9.8%
Costa Mesa +
Fort Lauderdale
14.7%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
18.1%
Fort Lauderdale
14.9%
Fort Lauderdale +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
9.7%
Costa Mesa +
Fort Lauderdale
13.0%
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity RateCDC PLACES | 25.7% | 30.3% | Costa Mesa + |
| Diabetes RateCDC PLACES | 9.3% | 12.8% | Costa Mesa + |
| Poor Mental HealthCDC PLACES — 14+ days/month | 17.9% | 16.2% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| No Health InsuranceCDC PLACES | 9.8% | 14.7% | Costa Mesa + |
| Binge DrinkingCDC PLACES | 18.1% | 14.9% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Current SmokersCDC PLACES | 9.7% | 13.0% | Costa Mesa + |
Climate
Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
75.5°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
66.5 in
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Annual TempNOAA 1991–2020 normal | N/A | 75.5°F | - |
| Annual PrecipitationNOAA 1991–2020 normal | N/A | 66.5 in | - |
Air Quality
PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Costa Mesa
7.9 µg/m³
Fort Lauderdale
7.2 µg/m³
Fort Lauderdale +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Costa Mesa
75.0%
Fort Lauderdale
75.0%
Tie
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 Annual AvgEPA AQS (state-level est.) | 7.9 µg/m³ | 7.2 µg/m³ | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Good Air DaysAQI ≤ 50 | 75.0% | 75.0% | Tie |
Commute
Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Costa Mesa
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
28.5 min
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Commute TimeCensus ACS | N/A | 28.5 min | - |
Which City is Right for You?
Fort Lauderdale offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $510,297. On public safety, Fort Lauderdale is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Costa Mesa. Fort Lauderdale has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Costa Mesa scores better with a lower obesity rate of 25.7%.
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