Population 112,432 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Costa Mesa: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Costa Mesa
Household size in Costa Mesa
| Period | Costa Mesa | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.72 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.81 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.83 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.67 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
At 2.67 people per household, Costa Mesa sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the Los Angeles area as a whole, where it has 3.01 people. Household size has edged down from 2.72 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Costa Mesa
| Period | Costa Mesa | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.0 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.0 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.4 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.8 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Costa Mesa is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.8, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 35.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Costa Mesa
| Period | Costa Mesa | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Costa Mesa (9.7%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.6 points, in line with the national trend.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Costa Mesa
Renters in Costa Mesa
| Period | Costa Mesa | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 56.2% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 59.9% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 61.4% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 60.2% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Costa Mesa: 60.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About three in ten owners (29.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 3.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 41 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Costa Mesa
| Period | Costa Mesa | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Costa Mesa: 5.8% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Los Angeles area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy has fallen 1.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Costa Mesa
| Period | Costa Mesa | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1970 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Costa Mesa run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1972 against 1980. That is in line with the rest of the Los Angeles area. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Costa Mesa
| Period | Costa Mesa | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,462 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,581 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,961 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,596 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,135 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Costa Mesa costs $2,596 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,135 a month from 2006–10, a 78% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.9% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Costa Mesa
Bachelor's degrees in Costa Mesa
| Period | Costa Mesa | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.2% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.7% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.5% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 44.9% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.7 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Costa Mesa (44.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 10.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Costa Mesa
| Period | Costa Mesa | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.5% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.4% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.6% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.0% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Costa Mesa have finished high school as nationally: 88.0%, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in the Los Angeles area overall (82.1%). The share with a diploma is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Costa Mesa
| Period | Costa Mesa | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Costa Mesa runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Costa Mesa compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Mesa | 2.67 | 37.8 | 9.7% | 60.2% | 5.8% | 1972 | $2,596 | 44.9% | 88.0% | 4.6% |
| Newport Beach | 2.25 | 46.5 | 5.8% | 52.5% | 13.1% | 1975 | $3,161 | 69.1% | 97.8% | 4.6% |
| Fountain Valley | 3.03 | 45.2 | 9.0% | 36.2% | 3.7% | 1972 | $2,999 | 45.4% | 90.7% | 5.5% |
| Corona Del Mar | 2.15 | 53.6 | 8.0% | 38.2% | 19.0% | 1975 | $3,234 | 71.4% | 98.5% | 3.8% |
| Huntington Beach | 2.57 | 44.3 | 8.2% | 44.4% | 6.2% | 1976 | $2,736 | 48.6% | 93.6% | 5.3% |
| Santa Ana | 4.01 | 35.2 | 15.6% | 55.1% | 4.3% | 1967 | $2,154 | 17.4% | 66.4% | 4.8% |
| Newport Coast | 2.91 | 47.7 | 6.1% | 32.0% | 15.3% | 1999 | $3,486 | 75.9% | 99.3% | 3.5% |
| Midway City | 2.90 | 45.3 | 10.3% | 60.0% | 10.0% | 1973 | $1,827 | 24.9% | 75.0% | 7.6% |
| Irvine | 2.84 | 35.3 | 9.0% | 56.1% | 9.6% | 2001 | $2,979 | 71.6% | 96.9% | 5.5% |
| Tustin | 2.96 | 38.0 | 11.7% | 50.8% | 4.5% | 1981 | $2,636 | 46.3% | 87.6% | 5.6% |
| Westminster | 3.30 | 42.8 | 10.8% | 47.1% | 5.4% | 1970 | $2,401 | 26.0% | 77.6% | 6.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Clinton Township, MI · College Station, TX · Columbia, MD · Columbia, MO · Clifton, NJ · Corpus Christi, TX · Compton, CA · Clearwater, FL · Camarillo, CA · Chino, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Costa Mesa. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.