Costa Mesa CA vs Utica 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

Utica, NY

New York · Population: 51,054

  • Median HH Income$57,688
  • Median Home Price$205,924
  • Unemployment9.4%
  • Bachelor's+36.8%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
51,054
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
N/A
Median Age
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
33.0
Foreign Born
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
9.7%
White
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
64.8%
Black
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
16.9%
Asian
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
4.3%
Hispanic
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
9.8%
Spanish at Home
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
$57,688
Per Capita Income
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
$35,780
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Costa Mesa
$77,230
Utica
$77,425
Utica +
Unemployment Rate
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
9.4%
Poverty Rate
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
23.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
36.8%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Costa Mesa
$1,416,645
Utica
$205,924
Utica +
Homeownership Rate
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
36.8%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Costa Mesa
503
Utica
434
Utica +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Costa Mesa
2388
Utica
1736
Utica +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
25.7%
Costa Mesa +
Utica
39.6%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
9.3%
Costa Mesa +
Utica
14.1%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Costa Mesa
17.9%
Costa Mesa +
Utica
19.4%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
9.8%
Costa Mesa +
Utica
11.1%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
18.1%
Utica
15.2%
Utica +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Costa Mesa
9.7%
Costa Mesa +
Utica
18.7%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Costa Mesa
7.9 µg/m³
Costa Mesa +
Utica
8.1 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Costa Mesa
75.0%
Utica
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Costa Mesa
N/A
Utica
22.7 min

Which City is Right for You?

Utica offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $205,924. On public safety, Utica 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, Costa Mesa scores better with a lower obesity rate of 25.7%.

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About Costa Mesa & Utica