| With its upscale neighborhoods to attract the affluent, | | | | country. 95.3% of residents in 2000 were high school |
| Irvine, California is a planned city built around a | | | | graduates. |
| university campus. Here is some information for those | | | | For someone relocating to Irvine as a homeowner, |
| with designs on relocating to Irvine. | | | | there may be a hefty mortgage bill to pay. Housing |
| Located in Orange County, Irvine is included in the Los | | | | debts on mortgages averaged $1,897 monthly, the |
| Angeles-Long Beach metro area. Built on 46 square | | | | eighth highest for U.S. communities with at least |
| miles of land, the city was developed in the 1960s by | | | | 100,000 people. Average house values had risen well |
| the Irvine Company. Each village within Irvine reflects its | | | | over $300,000 by 2000, nearly triple the national |
| own style ranging from the Tuscan to Spanish themes. | | | | median of $111,800. Renters also have the distinction of |
| This young and attractive community is growing fast | | | | paying through the nose for housing. In 2006, the |
| and annexing outlying communities in the process. The | | | | median gross rent paid in the area was $1,660 a |
| city is well on its way to doubling its 1990 population of | | | | month, the highest of any major U.S. city. These high |
| 111,734 people. Estimates from the California | | | | costs have been a hot topic for the Irvine city council, |
| Department of Finances in 2006 find 193,785 citizens | | | | as they seek to secure income-subsidized housing for |
| living in the city. The U.S. Census of 2000 showed | | | | the working class. |
| Irvine having the seventh largest Asian population | | | | Big paychecks help offset the high cost of living for |
| among major U.S. communities. Several Asian races | | | | residents of Irvine. Median household income in 2000 |
| made up nearly 30% of the population. 57% of | | | | was $72,057, more than $30,000 above the national |
| residents were White non-Hispanic. The Black | | | | average. The average family income was approaching |
| population at 1.4% is significantly below the state | | | | $100,000 annually. Per capita income favored Irvine by |
| average. The number of foreign-born residents is | | | | over $10,000 above the U.S. mean. Poverty and |
| significantly high at 32.1% of the population (24.3% | | | | unemployment do not pose a problem. Statistically, |
| Asian). | | | | about nine percent of the population lived below the |
| If you are relocating to Irvine, you can plan on a safe | | | | poverty level. That figure may be skewed with the |
| place to live. FBI crime statistics rank Irvine as the | | | | many college students who live in the city. Finding work |
| safest of all major cities for violent crime. Since the | | | | should not be a difficult task with a diversified market |
| city is relatively new, the resident age is 33 years, over | | | | that includes high tech jobs. Unemployment rates tend |
| three years below the national average. That could be | | | | to hover around five percent. It's estimated over |
| due to the location of several major colleges in the | | | | 100,000 people daily find their way into the city to work. |
| area. The University of California-Irvine and its full-time | | | | Just 39% of Irvine's residents are employed in the city: |
| enrollment of 19,533 live at the heart of the city. | | | | Irvine, like most California cities, enjoys moderate |
| Among several other higher education institutions, | | | | weather. Fifty-six degrees is the average temperature |
| California State University-Fullerton is just a few miles | | | | in winter, 71 degrees in summer. And not a lot of rain |
| away touting an enrollment of 22,345 students. A lot of | | | | with an average in the range of 10 to 13 inches |
| smart eggs live in Irvine, too. 58% of residents 25 and | | | | annually. Tornado activity in the Irvine-area is |
| older hold a bachelor's or advanced college degree. | | | | significantly above California's average. However, it is |
| Statistically speaking, census demographics reveal the | | | | 77% less than the national average. Irvine has had |
| city as one of the most educated areas of the | | | | brushes with two category two tornadoes since 1966. |