Top 5 neighborhoods in Irvine, CA
If you’re looking for a city with an active job market, lots of sunshine, and plenty to do, Irvine, California is a great place to live.
Irvine is known as a hub of technology and commerce, within its county. Many of the largest companies in the U.S. have their headquarters or a branch of their company located in the city.
The city’s roughly 287,000 residents enjoy an enviable climate that’s cool but not too cold in winter, and warm but not scorching in the summer.
The average income in the area is $43,500, significantly higher than the US average of $28,500, according to BestPlaces.
The median household income in the city is about $92,000 a year, while the median household income in the rest of the country is $53,482.
These higher wages do translate to a higher cost of living and higher home prices, however. You’ll find the neighborhoods here are gorgeous, whether you buy or rent a place.
While we’re going to focus on the cost of buying a home in this article, some of these neighborhoods have lovely apartment complexes, too.
Here are what we consider the top five Irvine neighborhoods.
Northwood Point
Northwood Point, an upscale neighborhood where the streets are lined with large homes in a similar, modern style, sits in northern Irvine. About 6,300 people live in the area, and the median household income is a high $166,000. The median home value here is nearly $1.2 million.
The main school here is Canyon View Elementary School, so if you live in this neighborhood your older kids will be placed in schools in nearby neighborhoods, like Orchard Hills.
In the area, you’ll find lots of green, grassy areas and trees, and two major parks, Meadowood Park, with two baseball diamonds, a picnic area, and a basketball court, and Citrusglen Park, with a children’s playground and grassy areas.
Shady Canyon
In southern Irvine we find another upscale neighborhood, this one a bit more exclusive. It even has its own place to swing your nine iron, Shady Canyon Golf Club. A region of hills and greenery, the streets have names like Boulder View, Canyon Creek, Needle Grass, Spike Moss, and Echo Glen.
The population here is fairly low, about 160 residents, and the average home value is $5.6 million. The median family income in this neighborhood is around $120,000.
Turtle Rock
This is another spendy area, but what a place to live.
Turtle Rock is the home of Concordia University Irvine and University High School. It’s also close to the University of California, Irvine; the Adventure Playground park; and lots of shopping centers.
If your children are younger than high school age, there are schools for them just outside the neighborhood.
The population here is around 11,000, and the area is full of large homes, lots of trees, and rolling hills. The median household income in Turtle Rock is $135,000, and the median home value is $1.3 million.
West Park
Now, we get to a couple of more affordable areas. In western Irvine rests Westpark, full of affordable houses and apartments for technology and other workers.
In the vicinity, you’ll find Crossroads Shopping Mall with plenty of eateries and stores. A great place to spend a few hours with your kids, or going for a job, is Bill Barber Park, which includes soccer fields, baseball fields, picnic areas, and a big playground for children. Other public play areas include San Paulo Park and San Leandro Park.
Westpark has a population of about 23,000. The median home value is around $877,000, and the median income in the area is $108,000. Westpark is home to Culverdale Elementary School and Plaza Vista K-8 School.
Woodbridge
Woodbridge, an area with a comparatively lower cost of living than other neighborhoods on this list and a population of roughly 24,000, is located just southwest of West Park.
Alton Parkway, a major Irvine road, cuts through both Westpark and Woodbridge, so if you’ve been driving around town, chances are you’ve passed through one or both of these neighborhoods.
This is a lovely suburban neighborhood boasting two lakes: North Lake and South Lake. Both have homes right near the shore, and both are great places to go for a walk, whether it’s on a typically sunny day or with your umbrella in the rain.
Woodbridge is home to Southlake Middle School and Lakeside Middle School. In the area between the lakes is a big shopping center that includes a Barnes & Noble and a Grocery Outlet, as well as Mike Ward Community Park. This park has various sports courts and picnic areas and is a nice place to go with friends or family.
The median home value in Woodbridge is $790,000, while the median household income is $102,000.
These are our top neighborhood choices in Irvine, but there are plenty of other great spots. And, if you need a great place to keep your boat, RV, or other vehicles, look no further than RV Storage Depot.
