2025 Compare Cities Education:
Costa Mesa, CA vs Walnut Creek, CA

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Highlights
- Walnut Creek spends 0.6% less per student than Costa Mesa.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 4.3% lower in Walnut Creek than in Costa Mesa. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Walnut Creek had 11.3% more residents who had graduated High School compared to Costa Mesa
 Costa Mesa, CAWalnut Creek, CAUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$15,192$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$12,911  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$7,565$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio23.21  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock75184573
 Students per Counselor595  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock1.1%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.6.3%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock97.4%88.9%
 Some College Educ.20.4%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock6.1%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.42.2%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock20.7%9.3%
 Professional Degree2.8%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock3.9%1.5%
Reviews for Costa Mesa    8 Reviews

Over 15 years ago

Costa mesa has awesome shopping but is way too crowded and I have had 3 cars stolen in the past 5 years along with countless break-ins and theft. Expensive. Close to  More

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Over 16 years ago

Costa Mesa has a near perfect climate . . . plenty of sun but rarely over 100 degrees (our house doesn't even have AC). Nestled between Newport Beach and Huntington  More

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We have a good amount of low-income, medium-income, and relatively high-income  More

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Reviews for Walnut Creek    16 Reviews

Apart from the congestion, Walnut Creek is one of the best places in the San Francisco Bay Area to live. It is one of the most compact/walkable cities in the entire area  More

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Over 7 years ago

Almost all of Walnut Creek water comes from Pardee dam through an enclosed pipeline. That water is direct from the high Sierras. Among the best water quality in the  More

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Over 7 years ago

I grew up in Southern California and am no stranger to a more inland California climate. Before moving to WC I lived in San Francisco for 15 years where it is obviously  More

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