CA: Irvine tops list of safest U.S. cities

Orange County Register ^ | 06/07/05 | GWENDOLYN DRISCOLL and MICHAEL DOSS

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Irvine is the safest big city in the United States, according to an Orange County Register analysis of preliminary crime statistics released Monday by the FBI. Orange is No. 13 on the same list, which ranks violent crime by population in cities of more than 100,000 people.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

The definition of perfect correlation is:
 

1. 1.0
2. illustrated by a rank ordering of jurisdiction by declining crime rate compared to a rank ordering of jurisdictions by declining black population.

[dangus]

>> CARY="Containment Area for Relocated Yankees" <<

LOL!

[af_vet_1981]

It's also a fairly expensive city with no ghettos (since it's relatively new). That helps. ;)

Irvine Demographics Information

Population: 
2004 Population 171,700 

 
College Degree 40.0%  
 

Median Age  33.4
 


Ethnicity: 
White                         57%
Asian & Pacific Islander      29.8%
Hispanic                       7.4%
Black                          1.4%
Other                          4.4% 


Income: 
Per Capita  $29,163
Household   $62,469



Housing: 
Median Value  $356,000
Average Rent    $1,400

Registered Voters: 
Registered
Republican     48.4%
Democrat       29.2%
Other          22.4% 

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Isn't Beach/Slater NW corner where most of the crime is in HB? I seem to remember that being a pretty bad area.

[TJC]

'Slater slums' is what it's called. High Hispanic population. They put a police substation on that corner.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Median Value $356,000

ROTFLMAO - That is old even if it's last month! :o) real estate is out of control in Irvine right now. Check out a listing for it if you want to see what i mean.

Happy FReepin'

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

That's right. slater Slums... I haven't heard that in a long time.

[newfrpr04]

"It's also a fairly expensive city" True. I live in Lake Forest, bordes Irvine. They do have a great school system, Taxes are pretty high- had our office there for 6 years. Cops are tough in Irvine. Speed camera's everywhere

[Digger]

Yea. Lake Forest is a jewel IMO. Taxes are less. Mostly homeowner associations that are reasonable & yet effective. The homes in these associations probably average almost $700,000. Original owners paid about $35,000 some 25 yrs ago. Life is good.

[hispanichoosier]

Housing:
Median Value $356,000

Holy crap! How the heck do folks manage to live out there & own a home? Seems like California real estate is out of control.

[hispanichoosier]

Ethnicity:
White 57%
Asian & Pacific Islander 29.8%
Hispanic 7.4%
Black 1.4%
Other 4.4%

Now that's an interesting breakdown. Sadly, some FReepers would be hoppin' mad about the 7.4% Hispanic figure. Doesn't seem to hurt Irvine, though!

[af_vet_1981]

Now that's an interesting breakdown. Sadly, some FReepers would be hoppin' mad about the 7.4% Hispanic figure. Doesn't seem to hurt Irvine, though!

The higher White/Asian numbers really stand out (87%) when compared with the Hispanic/Black percentages (9%). That probably follows the level of academic achievement since I think the housing prices are really the entry criteria. There is no racial discrimination factor, it is an economic achievement discrimination factor (ie. the Irivne Company planned a city, not a ghetto with public housing).

[ken21]

irvine is a planned community with a long list of prohibitions:

there are no convenience stores. 7-11's etc have payphones and draw unsavory types. i can't remember seeing an auto parts store, altho' i may be wrong on this one.

you may not park your car overnight on the street, nor in your driveway. you must put your car in the garage and shut the door at all times.

you may not plant bushes nor trees that are not approved.

etc.

i have no issue with these prohibitions. if you don't like them, then don't move to irvine. however, about 10 years ago the los angeles times published a very negative review of irvine listing some of the things that i mentioned above.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

los angeles times published a very negative review

all the more reason to live in Irvine. There is an auto parts store, but no convenience stores that I know of, every gas station has one though and they are on every corner (almost). Plants should be approved because they should be water wise (my tree-hugger prop) Cars can be on the street but just not all the time(stored). i see people parking on the street in just about every neighborhood. And yes, if you are not into the rules and regulations there are plenty of other places to live. That's the beauty of it.

Happy FReepin'

K4

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Digger, you are right about Lake Forest. That place is such a hidden secret. Eventually I'd like to get another place down there as a rental.

[skeeter]

The higher White/Asian numbers really stand out (87%) when compared with the Hispanic/Black percentages (9%).

Especially when considering the demographic breakdown for California - 7% black & 32% hispanic statewide.

[hispanichoosier]

That probably follows the level of academic achievement since I think the housing prices are really the entry criteria.

You're probably right; it would seem to be economic, since I doubt that the county is 30% Asian. I am interested in how you guys out in California can afford homes. DQNews.com reported in March that the median price of a home is SoCal was about $425,000; that's more than $2600 a month for a mortgage!

[Smogger]

The median price of a house in Irvine is probably EASILT 600K now. There is no industrial and very little commercial other than office buildings. It's probably 3/4 residential plus the UC.

[sheik yerbouty]

I worked there for a time. They tend to sweep things far enough under the rug to skew the stats.

[sheik yerbouty]

I found it to be a "Stepford" town. It's the last place I'd move to.