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Irvine, CA has long been known as a great place to live. It is home to some of the best schools in the country, as well as some of the most beautiful residential neighborhoods. Irvine is also a great destination for those who love to explore and experience new things. There are plenty of outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, golfing, and even zip-lining! For those seeking more cultural experiences, there are art galleries and music venues across the city. Shopping districts, fine dining establishments, and entertainment complexes abound in Irvine too.
When it comes to reviews of Irvine, CA they are overwhelmingly positive. Residents love that they have access to some of the best schools around and that there is no shortage of things to do in their city. Many people find Irvine an attractive place for living because it is safe and family friendly with plenty of job opportunities. Businesses appreciate the excellent infrastructure and highly educated workforce in Irvine which makes attracting top talent much easier than other areas in California. All-in-all, Irvine is an ideal destination for all kinds of people looking for a clean, vibrant city filled with opportunity.
based on 42 ReviewsGet to know Irvine with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Irvine
I can't think of a better place to live. - 4/15/2023
We've lived in Irvine since '87.
We have raised two children within the ISUD. Both are grown up.
Sure, there have been many changes since then.. the City has grown tremendously, specially East of the 5. And the demographics have changed a lot... perhaps a bit too much. but all in all the socioeconomic and academic mix has not changed... it is decidedly up market.
Nightlife? Who cares, I like to sleep soundly at night. The Chinese have a saying: "May you have an interesting life".. which is not a good thing to them. Living in a "boring" place can be a very good thing.
Crime? It seems like we import it.. not much local. I can leave my garage door opened all day, with the keys in the cars and nobody touches my cars, my tools, my stuff... etc..
Cops? A bit overzealous the traffic cops can be. But other than that they're fine.
Location? We can hike five miles on trails in parks and wildernesses from
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Nice, clean, but very expensive and somewhat bland - 10/5/2022
I've lived in Irvine for 2 years and in Orange County for 10 so I'm pretty familiar with the area by now and all it has to offer. Perhaps my review of this place has more to do with my situation and what I have been looking for rather than what someone else (for example a young family with 2-3 kids) might be looking for
PROS:
Very very very clean and beautiful landscaping
Safe
Great public schools
Close by to a lot of freeways
Biking/hiking areas
CONS:
Expensive as hell - almost as bad as the nicest areas of LA
The city feels extremely corporate and somewhat "soul-less". Because most everything is owned by the same company the city's architecture is very "cookie-cutter" and everything looks the same.
Almost zero nightlife. And I mean zero. Which is extremely surprising considering there is a huge university in the city along with other smaller colleges. No corner bar, no clubs. No main area of town with nightlife.
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Best place to raise a family (live/work) - 5/28/2020
I wouldn't live elsewhere. I originally moved to Irvine in 2002 from the Midwest, not knowing what it even was. I left and moved around a great deal locally in OC, IE/LA, and lived mainly in OC Cities. I moved back to Irvine in 2012, and ultimately bought a house here.
It might not be glitz and glam or have a wild nightlife. But what it is, is diverse, safe, convenient, and clean. I've lived in so many places in my life that I chose Irvine to settle down in and raise a family. The amount of parks, activities, and the location (so many businesses here and the Airport) it is an ideal place to live and work. There are just so many positives to list, but I feel it has everything.
The racial markup of the city is diverse it is 40% white / 40% Asian / 20% other. The biggest downside is the cost of living; most of the apartments are owned by the Irvine Company and SUPER expensive. Almost all areas/homes pay a HOA or Mello Roos tax.
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It was a safe/affluent/good place, and still is - 4/17/2019
I've lived in Irvine since 2007. To be completely honest, Irvine is basically Asian central. Tons of Asians, that's definitely true. Recently, we've been having crime leaking over from Santa Ana, but I've yet to really see any terrible crimes redundantly occurring. All in all, Irvine is basically a bubble; the city is still really safe, people here are affluent, and people here also are affluent/safe to a point where they aren't really aware of what goes on outside. The schools here are great and prestigious too, teachers are really nice, schools are really well funded, and students learn a lot which also naturally makes the school environment here more competitive here. Don't listen to the people commenting and saying "too many Asians", "unsafe, not the same 50 years ago", or in general making very xenophobic, anti-immigrant comments; most of them are exaggerated beyond belief, with only a grain of truth. Do be aware though, drivers here are pretty bad.
*quick fact
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Great place to live in S. CA - 12/2/2017
Pros
Local farmer's markets, easy access to beaches, plenty of events, top rated schools and universities located nearby make this a great place to live for young and old alike.
Convenient to freeways and John Wayne International airport, there are many top hotels and attractions in this area.
There are a lot of undeveloped open spaces as well as hiking, biking, and parks for the outdoorsy types/families.
It's fun to see the fireworks from Knott's Berry Farm along with the stars in the sky each night!
There is a strong sense of community among residents here.
We have been fortunate to have met many kind and wonderful international friends as well as many happy long time Irvine residents.
Would highly recommend Irvine as a place to live or to visit. There is truly something here for everyone.
Cons
Housing costs are expensive
Endless
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The Melted Pot? - 9/9/2017
Full of angry, old, middle age, white people and slowly being taken over by rich Asians. Also crime is increasing due to the poor Black and Mexican gangbangers and criminals who drive up from Compton and try to break into peoples house and steal packages off their porches. Used to be a kind of nice place to live - fifty years ago. Then again, that's all of California for you. That's basically
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Done after 10 + years - 11/6/2016
Thank you baby Jesus for the housing market stabilizing! I'm sure Irvine was a great city 10-30 years ago. I can only imagine what it was like before the multi cultural burst that seems never ending. Don't get me wrong, I went to UCI so I am very familiar with the multi cultural dynamic of the city, but this place is just out of control. Anyone look at airbnb lately for Irvine? I feel like I'm literally living in a motel like environment with all the listings for Irvine on airbnb. Supposedly city council is going to make a decision about it but look at what they did with the political signs. They adopted a new rule/regulation and yet the streets are covered with signage. I had family visit us from out of town and they even commented "what is going on with all the political signs"? Such a waste of money, paper, and resources.
Driving here; make sure you drive below the speed limit because it isn't safe to walk or drive with the lack of driver skill in this
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So Cal- LA & the OC from a real native years born - 1/30/2016
Beaches & Sun - YES - But that is not all- Traffic no matter where you are going, if not between 10am and 2pm then after 9pm, do not leave your house. Example: Irvine to LAX in the morning is less that 35 miles and will take you from 1.5 to 2 hours. If raising a family you will need to live in the South Bay (Manhattan Beach) or Newport Beach in the OC or Santa Barbara for a good clean quality of life, and before you head there know you should be making a combined income of $500,000.00 or more. Highest sales tax LA/OC combined in the US, and crime is on the rise in all of SoCal. Bottom line is that if your quality of life is more important than beaches and sun year round don't move... Life is more than beaches and sun- 30 years ago i might of had a different view. 50 years ago a very different view.
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Irvine CA - 8/21/2015
I'm moving. 10 years and I'm done. Too many Asians and Middle Eastern's.
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