Murrieta CA vs Vancouver WA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Murrieta, CA

California · Population: 84,304

  • Median HH Income$158,461
  • Median Home Price$690,322
  • Unemployment4.4%
  • Bachelor's+69.6%

Vancouver, WA

Washington · Population: 192,696

  • Median HH Income$78,156
  • Median Home Price$510,577
  • Unemployment5.6%
  • Bachelor's+31.5%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Murrieta
84,304
Vancouver
192,696
Vancouver +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Murrieta
N/A
Vancouver
N/A
Median Age
Murrieta
46.0
Vancouver
37.5
Vancouver +
Foreign Born
Murrieta
15.9%
Murrieta +
Vancouver
13.6%
White
Murrieta
79.2%
Murrieta +
Vancouver
70.6%
Black
Murrieta
0.7%
Vancouver
3.1%
Vancouver +
Asian
Murrieta
8.1%
Murrieta +
Vancouver
5.3%
Hispanic
Murrieta
10.1%
Vancouver
17.2%
Vancouver +
Spanish at Home
Murrieta
N/A
Vancouver
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Murrieta
$158,461
Murrieta +
Vancouver
$78,156
Per Capita Income
Murrieta
$113,918
Murrieta +
Vancouver
$42,839
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Murrieta
$77,230
Murrieta +
Vancouver
$76,120
Unemployment Rate
Murrieta
4.4%
Murrieta +
Vancouver
5.6%
Poverty Rate
Murrieta
7.3%
Murrieta +
Vancouver
11.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
Murrieta
69.6%
Murrieta +
Vancouver
31.5%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Murrieta
$690,322
Vancouver
$510,577
Vancouver +
Homeownership Rate
Murrieta
53.1%
Murrieta +
Vancouver
49.9%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Murrieta
503
Vancouver
383
Vancouver +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Murrieta
2388
Murrieta +
Vancouver
3409

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
33.4%
Murrieta +
Vancouver
36.2%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
10.0%
Vancouver
9.9%
Vancouver +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Murrieta
17.0%
Murrieta +
Vancouver
19.1%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
7.5%
Murrieta +
Vancouver
9.4%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
15.6%
Murrieta +
Vancouver
16.3%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
10.0%
Murrieta +
Vancouver
11.7%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Murrieta
N/A
Vancouver
52.1°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Murrieta
N/A
Vancouver
41.6 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Murrieta
7.9 µg/m³
Vancouver
7.5 µg/m³
Vancouver +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Murrieta
75.0%
Vancouver
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Murrieta
24.9 min
Murrieta +
Vancouver
25.1 min

Which City is Right for You?

Murrieta leads in median household income at $158,461, while vancouver offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $510,577. On public safety, Vancouver is safer with a violent crime rate of 383 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Murrieta. Murrieta has a lower unemployment rate at 4.4%, and Vancouver has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.5 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Murrieta scores better with a lower obesity rate of 33.4%.

Compare More Cities

About Murrieta & Vancouver