Costa Mesa vs San Bernardino
The short version
- San Bernardino is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 6% lower than in the Costa Mesa area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $422,300 in San Bernardino and $1,115,100 in Costa Mesa.
- Households earn more in Costa Mesa ($111,505 vs $67,415 median).
- San Bernardino has more scorching days: 104 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 13.
- San Bernardino is growing faster: +0% since 2020 vs -2.9%.
- Commutes are shorter in Costa Mesa (22 vs 30 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Costa Mesa, CA | San Bernardino, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 108,881 | 222,044 |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.9% | +0% |
| People per square mile | 6,889 | 3,575 |
| Median age | 36.7 | 32.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45% | 13% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $111,505 | $67,415 |
| Median home value | $1,115,100 | $422,300 |
| Home value to income | 10.0× | 6.3× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,446 | $1,508 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 113.6 | 106.4 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 170.4 | 129.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $85,200 | $79,800 |
| Homeowners | 40% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.4 | 29.7 |
| Work from home | 22% | 6% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.7% | 6.1% |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 18.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 67° / 49° | 67° / 41° |
| July high / low | 79° / 66° | 95° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 11 in | 13 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 13 | 104 |
| Nights below freezing | 0 | 3 |
| Comfortable months | 12 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.8 | 99.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 11% | 7% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.3% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +45.5% | +35.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Costa Mesa: January to December. San Bernardino: February to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Costa Mesa weather by month and San Bernardino weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $85,200 in Costa Mesa and $79,800 in San Bernardino. Moving from Costa Mesa to San Bernardino, you would need about $70,300 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Costa Mesa and San Bernardino
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Costa Mesa and San Bernardino.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.