Source-led head-to-head · 2024 ACS
Moving from Huntington Beach to Phoenix
The 2024 ACS 5-year data reveals Huntington Beach has significantly higher median household income ($120,919) and home values ($1.1M) than Phoenix ($81,332 income, $420,700 home value), but also much higher median gross rent ($2,510 vs $1,582). Despite Huntington Beach’s higher income, its rent-to-income ratio is 24.9% compared to Phoenix’s 23.3%, indicating relatively tighter housing affordability. Huntington Beach residents face a longer average commute (31 minutes vs 28 minutes), while Phoenix applies a modeled 2.50% state individual income tax in calculations—though this is not actual liability and California’s tax is excluded per profile constraints. The uniform non-housing baseline of $1,250/month applies equally to both cities as a model assumption. These trade-offs reflect differing cost structures: Huntington Beach offers higher earnings but elevated housing costs, while Phoenix provides lower income with more moderate housing expenses and a simplified tax input in the calculator framework.
Corridor Direction & Trade-off Delta
⇄ Switch to Phoenix → Huntington BeachMoving from Huntington Beach to Phoenix
Median Rent Impact
-$928/mo
Moving to Phoenix saves ~$11,136/yr in rent.
State Tax Treatment
+2.5%
~$2,500 more state tax on a $100k salary in Arizona.
Daily Commute Difference
-3 min / day
Difference of ~25 hours per year spent commuting based on 2024 ACS midpoint averages.
Your move
Compare the life behind the offer.
Adjust the assumptions. Every result updates instantly.
Search all 32,330 U.S. Census places directly below.Instant results use official 2024 ACS place data. Places with incomplete required signals remain visible in search but cannot be selected.
Directional estimate using ACS citywide benchmarks. Verified profiles may include a simplified state-tax reference; automatically added profiles exclude state tax until an official reference is approved. Exact tax, benefits, debt, housing, insurance, and personal circumstances may materially change the result.
LIVE VERDICTHUN → PHX
73/ 100
Worth serious consideration
Your modeled annual room improves.Estimated annual life delta+$20,720after essentials; unverified state tax excluded
Best gainA balanced income-to-rent profile with a low flat state-tax reference
Watch closelyThe $420,700 home-value benchmark is materially above Dallas despite similar commute time
The short answer
In the uniform one-person renting baseline, Phoenix is about $11,136 lower per year. This is not a verdict by itself: replace city medians with the actual offer, address, household, benefits, insurance, and tax details before deciding.
Huntington Beach household income$120,919
Phoenix household income$81,332
Huntington Beach gross rent$2,510
Phoenix gross rent$1,582
Housing, income, and tax reference
| Metric | Huntington Beach | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 ACS population | 195,240 | 1,642,323 |
| Median household income | $120,919 | $81,332 |
| Median gross rent | $2,510 | $1,582 |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $1,100,000 | $420,700 |
| State-tax treatment | Excluded | 2.5% simplified |
Time and daily routine
The commute-time distribution produces a weighted one-way estimate of about 31 minutes in Huntington Beach and 28 minutes in Phoenix. This citywide estimate cannot capture a specific route, remote-work schedule, or transit choice, so the calculator converts it into an explicit time difference instead of hiding it in a subjective lifestyle score.
Decision checklist
- Median household income disparity
- Median gross rent levels
- Median owner-occupied home value
- Derived one-way commute time
- State individual income tax treatment in model
- Uniform non-housing cost baseline
What each city wins
Huntington Beach
Median home value is nine times median household income.. Watch high home values reflect strong demand but limit access for middle-income households despite relatively moderate rent burdens..
Phoenix
A balanced income-to-rent profile with a low flat state-tax reference. Watch the $420,700 home-value benchmark is materially above dallas despite similar commute time.
Frequently asked questions
How does housing affordability compare between the two cities based on rent and income?
Huntington Beach has a median gross rent of $2,510 and income of $120,919, resulting in a rent-to-income ratio of 24.9%. Phoenix has $1,582 rent and $81,332 income, yielding a 23.3% ratio, indicating relatively better rental affordability in Phoenix despite lower incomes.
What role does the modeled state income tax play in comparing these cities?
The calculator applies a simplified 2.50% state individual income tax reference for Phoenix as a modeling input, not actual tax liability. California’s state tax is intentionally excluded from Huntington Beach’s profile due to lack of approved official reference, so no tax comparison is valid in this framework.
Source boundary: Core figures come from the 2024 ACS five-year tables linked on each city profile. Commute is derived from B08303 midpoint weighting. A state-tax value without an approved official reference is excluded and disclosed. This comparison becomes index-eligible only after its unique analysis clears the content quality gate.