Costa Mesa is a mid-sized city located in the state of California. The city has a population of 112,439 people. In Costa Mesa, there are 7,151 people per square mile, which is well above the national population density average. According to the most recent Census, 69% of Costa Mesa residents are White, 9% Asian and 2% Black. Additionally, more than a quarter of the population of Costa Mesa are of Hispanic or Latino origin, and 29% of the population also speak Spanish. If finding a family friendly city is important to you, look no further. With more than 72% of the population considered married and 56% with kids under the age of 18, Costa Mesa could be considered a very suitable city for families.
Living in Costa Mesa can be a fulfilling experience for anyone relocating to the city. Having said that, in the state of California, there are many incredible places to live, so choose wisely! The best areas in Costa Mesa and in surrounding cities are easier to find when you are able to make informed decisions. Using data from amenities, crime, cost of living, weather, education, you will see a detailed breakdown of the most important information as well as comparisons to the California and national averages.
Costa Mesa has a livability score of 66/100 and is ranked #586 in California and #15,982 in the USA. If we dig a little deeper into each category within the livability score, we see that Costa Mesa has higher than average rankings for the following: amenities (A+) and weather (A+). There is at least one category that did not score well in Costa Mesa. The following was graded with a disappointing score: crime (D-), cost of living (F) and education (F).
Location, location, location - possibly the three most important words in your search for a new place to live. Fortunately, in Costa Mesa, there is no shortage of amazing local amenities and interesting things to do. Here are some of the more popular things to do in Costa Mesa: Orange County Performing Arts Center, South Coast Plaza, and Tewinkle Park.
Certain items on your wish list like shopping, restaurants, nightlife and proximity to public transportation are all important factors to search for. Having said that, perhaps the most important metric to consider when contemplating a move to Costa Mesa is real estate affordability. Median real estate prices in Costa Mesa come in at $637,200, which is 55.7% higher than the California average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Costa Mesa, the home price to income ratio is 9.1, which is 42.2% higher than the California average. Purchasing your new home can come with many financial benefits, some of which are more lucrative than others. Perhaps the most notable benefit could be the appreciation of your new home. Home appreciation rates are a good way to generate tax-free equity on a long term basis. The year over year appreciation rates in Costa Mesa were 3.8%, and the 5 year appreciation rates came in at 6.9%.
| Statistic | Costa Mesa | California | National |
| Average one way commute | 22min | 28min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 77.2% | 73.5% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 8.8% | 10.6% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 2.7% | 5.2% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 1.6% | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 2.3% | 2.7% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 5.5% | 5.4% | 4.6% |
| Walk | Bike | Compact | Car | S.U.V. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | |||||
| Duration | |||||
| Cost/Month |
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