Costa Mesa CA vs New York NY — 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
New York, NY
New York · Population: 8,516,202
- Median HH Income$79,713
- Median Home Price$816,078
- Unemployment7.7%
- Bachelor's+41.0%
Detailed Comparison
Demographics
Population
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
8,516,202
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
N/A
Median Age
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
38.0
Foreign Born
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
36.5%
White
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
35.9%
Black
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
22.7%
Asian
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
14.6%
Hispanic
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
28.4%
Spanish at Home
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
N/A
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | N/A | 8,516,202 | - |
| Pop. Density / sq miLower = more space | N/A | N/A | - |
| Median Age | N/A | 38.0 | - |
| Foreign Born | N/A | 36.5% | - |
| White | N/A | 35.9% | - |
| Black | N/A | 22.7% | - |
| Asian | N/A | 14.6% | - |
| Hispanic | N/A | 28.4% | - |
| Spanish at Home | N/A | N/A | - |
Economy
Median HH Income
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
$79,713
Per Capita Income
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
$50,776
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Costa Mesa
$77,230
New York
$77,425
New York +
Unemployment Rate
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
7.7%
Poverty Rate
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
17.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
41.0%
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median HH Income | N/A | $79,713 | - |
| Per Capita Income | N/A | $50,776 | - |
| Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)BEA MSA-level | $77,230 | $77,425 | New York + |
| Unemployment Rate | N/A | 7.7% | - |
| Poverty Rate | N/A | 17.4% | - |
| Bachelor's Degree+ | N/A | 41.0% | - |
Housing
Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Costa Mesa
$1,416,645
New York
$816,078
New York +
Homeownership Rate
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
32.8%
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home ValueZillow ZHVI / Census ACS | $1,416,645 | $816,078 | New York + |
| Homeownership Rate | N/A | 32.8% | - |
Safety
Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Costa Mesa
503
New York
434
New York +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Costa Mesa
2388
New York
1736
New York +
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 503 | 434 | New York + |
| Property Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 2388 | 1736 | New York + |
Health
Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
25.7%
New York
25.1%
New York +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
9.3%
Costa Mesa +
New York
11.9%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Costa Mesa
17.9%
New York
15.4%
New York +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
9.8%
Costa Mesa +
New York
10.6%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
18.1%
New York
16.9%
New York +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
9.7%
Costa Mesa +
New York
11.4%
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity RateCDC PLACES | 25.7% | 25.1% | New York + |
| Diabetes RateCDC PLACES | 9.3% | 11.9% | Costa Mesa + |
| Poor Mental HealthCDC PLACES — 14+ days/month | 17.9% | 15.4% | New York + |
| No Health InsuranceCDC PLACES | 9.8% | 10.6% | Costa Mesa + |
| Binge DrinkingCDC PLACES | 18.1% | 16.9% | New York + |
| Current SmokersCDC PLACES | 9.7% | 11.4% | Costa Mesa + |
Climate
Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
55.4°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
46.6 in
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Annual TempNOAA 1991–2020 normal | N/A | 55.4°F | - |
| Annual PrecipitationNOAA 1991–2020 normal | N/A | 46.6 in | - |
Air Quality
PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Costa Mesa
7.9 µg/m³
Costa Mesa +
New York
8.1 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Costa Mesa
75.0%
New York
75.0%
Tie
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 Annual AvgEPA AQS (state-level est.) | 7.9 µg/m³ | 8.1 µg/m³ | Costa Mesa + |
| Good Air DaysAQI ≤ 50 | 75.0% | 75.0% | Tie |
Commute
Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Costa Mesa
N/A
New York
44.2 min
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Commute TimeCensus ACS | N/A | 44.2 min | - |
Which City is Right for You?
New York offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $816,078. On public safety, New York is safer with a violent crime rate of 434 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Costa Mesa. Costa Mesa has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, New York scores better with a lower obesity rate of 25.1%.
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