University of California, Irvine

Irvine, CA

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University of California, Irvine - Irvine, CA Area Guide

An exceptional research institution in the Orange County foothills

Public Urban Airport Public Ivy UC Irvine UCI

Having only been in existence since 1965, UC Irvine has rapidly built a solid reputation for academic excellence and cutting-edge research, even being named a “Public Ivy” institution in 2001. As one of the most selective universities in the state, the scholarly climate is exceptional, although the rigorous coursework is balanced out by a fun campus atmosphere. Huge annual events like the world record attempts at the beginning of the school year, the Shocktoberfest concert, and the Soulstice talent show drive a lively campus culture; other popular events like midterm/finals week puppy days and UCI Symphony Orchestra performances ensure that there’s always something fun to check out around the UC Irvine community. The region’s famous beaches and mountains are only a few minutes away by car, and lush green spaces like Mason Park provide tranquil settings for quiet downtime. The campus is fairly spread out, so you’ll want to consider where you’ll be spending most of your time when you select an apartment: The neighborhoods on the west end are closest to the University Research Park and the Department of Chemistry, while the east side will put you closer to the School of Law and the administration and classroom buildings surrounding Aldrich Park.

Rent Trends

As of April 2026, the average apartment rent in Irvine, CA is $2,609 for a studio, $2,929 for one bedroom, $3,549 for two bedrooms, and $4,325 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Irvine has decreased by -0.1% in the past year.

  • Studio

  • 575 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $2,609/month

    Average Rent

  • 1 BR

  • 784 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $2,929/month

    Average Rent

  • 2 BR

  • 1,097 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $3,549/month

    Average Rent

  • 3 BR

  • 1,309 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $4,325/month

    Average Rent

Getting Around

Fairly Walkable

Walkability

50 / 100

Minimal Public Transit

Transit

10 / 100

Exceptionally Drivable

Drivability

90 / 100

Exceptionally Bikeable

Bikeability

90 / 100

Daily Essentials

Supermarket Within a 10 Minute Walk

Groceries

80 / 100

Good Restaurant Variety Nearby

Restaurants

60 / 100

Good Café Variety Nearby

Cafes

60 / 100

Fair Variety of Shops Nearby

Shopping

50 / 100

Recreation

Large Amount of Park Space Nearby

Parks

60 / 100

Fair Wellness Amenity Variety Nearby

Wellness

40 / 100

Local Vibe

Mostly Calm Atmosphere

Vibrancy

20 / 100

Limited Nightlife Variety Nearby

Nightlife

30 / 100

Not Noisy

Quiet Score

100 / 100

Schools

Orchard Hills

Public

Grades K-8

1,373 Students

Woodbury Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

1,095 Students

Portola Springs Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

948 Students

Hicks Canyon Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

830 Students

Loma Ridge Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

766 Students

Orchard Hills

Public

Grades K-8

1,373 Students

Sierra Vista Middle

Public

Grades 6-8

1,282 Students

Beacon Park K-8 School

Public

Grades K-8

1,065 Students

Jeffrey Trail Middle

Public

Grades 6-8

1,049 Students

Rancho San Joaquin Middle

Public

Grades 6-8

860 Students

Arnold O. Beckman High

Public

Grades 9-12

2,776 Students

Portola High

Public

Grades 9-12

2,693 Students

Northwood High

Public

Grades 9-12

2,244 Students

Woodbridge High

Public

Grades 9-12

2,232 Students

University High

Public

Grades 9-12

2,307 Students

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Mason Regional Park
  • UCI Arboretum
  • Turtle Rock Nature Center
  • Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve
  • Buck Gully

Airports

  • John Wayne/Orange County
  • Long Beach (Daugherty Field)

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.

Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.