Gabrieleño indigenous group inhabited Irvine about 2,000 years ago.[13] In the present, the city and the schools within are taking action to educate the community about the indigenous history. In 2024 there was a proposal to create a village based off of Putuidem Village located in San Juan Capistrano.[14] UCI set a Land Acknowledgement to inform the history of the land their campus is based on as well as many other immigrant groups that had also lived on that land.[15]
Gaspar de Portolà, a Spanish explorer, came to the area in 1769, which led to the establishment of forts,missions and cattle herds. TheKing of Spain parceled out land for missions and private use.
In 1864,Jose Andres Sepulveda, owner of Rancho San Joaquin, sold 50,000 acres (200 km2) to Benjamin and Thomas Flint, Llewellyn Bixby andJames Irvine for $18,000 to resolve debts due to the Great Drought. In 1866, Irvine, Flint and Bixby acquired 47,000-acre (190 km2) Rancho Lomas de Santiago for $7,000. After theMexican-American War the land of Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana fell prey to tangled titles. In 1868, the ranch was divided among three claimants as part of a lawsuit: Flint, Bixby and Irvine. The ranches were devoted to sheep grazing. However, in 1870,tenant farming was permitted.
In 1878,James Irvine acquired his partners' interests for $150,000 ($4,887,414 in 2024 dollars[16]). His 110,000 acres (450 km2) stretched 23 miles (37 km) from the Pacific Ocean to theSanta Ana River. James Irvine died in 1886. The ranch was inherited by his son,James Irvine II, who incorporated it into theIrvine Company. James Irvine II shifted the ranch operations to field crops, olive and citrus crops.
In 1888, theSanta Fe Railroad extended its line to Fallbrook Junction, north ofSan Diego, and named a station along the way after James Irvine. The town that formed around this station was named Myford, after Irvine's son, because a post office inCalaveras County already bore the family name. The town was renamed Irvine in 1914.[17]
Suburban development in Irvine Ranch in 1975The developing urban core in the city of Irvine in 2010
By 1918, 60,000 acres (240 km2) oflima beans were grown on the Irvine Ranch. TwoMarine Corps facilities,MCAS El Toro andMCAS Tustin, were built during World War II on ranch land sold to the government.
James Irvine II died in 1947 at the age of 80. His son, Myford, assumed the presidency of the Irvine Company. He began opening small sections of the Irvine Ranch to urban development.
The Irvine Ranch played host to theBoy Scouts of America's1953 National Scout Jamboree.Jamboree Road, a major street which now stretches from Newport Beach to the city of Orange, was named in honor of this event.David Sills, then a young Boy Scout fromPeoria, Illinois, was among the attendees at the 1953 Jamboree. Sills came back to Irvine as an adult and went on to serve four terms as the city's mayor.
Myford Irvine died in 1959. The same year, theUniversity of California asked the Irvine Company for 1,000 acres (4 km2) for a new university campus. The Irvine Companysold the requested land for $1 and later the state purchased an additional 500 acres (2.0 km2).[18]
William Pereira, the university's consulting architect, and the Irvine Company planners drew up master plans for a city of 50,000 people surrounding the new university. The plan called for industrial, residential and recreational areas, commercial centers and greenbelts. The new community was to be named Irvine; the old agricultural town of Irvine, where the railroad station and post office were located, was renamedEast Irvine.[17] The first phases of the villages of Turtle Rock, University Park, Westpark (then called Culverdale), El Camino Real, and Walnut were completed by 1970.
On December 28, 1971, the residents of these communities voted to incorporate a substantially larger city than the one envisioned by the Pereira plan. By January 1999, Irvine had a population of 134,000 and a total area of 43 square miles (111 km2).[12]
San Diego Creek, which flows northwest intoUpper Newport Bay, is the primary watercourse draining the city. Its largest tributary isPeters Canyon Wash. Most of Irvine is in a broad, flat valley between Loma Ridge in the north andSan Joaquin Hills in the south. In the extreme northern and southern areas, however, are several hills, plateaus and canyons.
Los Angeles architect William Pereira and Irvine Company employeeRaymond Watson designed Irvine's layout beginning in the late 1950s, which is nominally divided into townships called "villages", separated by six-lanearterial roads. Each township contains houses of similar design, along with commercial centers, religious institutions, and schools. Commercial districts are checker-boarded in a periphery around the central townships. Only automobile transportation was planned for, with other forms of transportation ignored, resulting in Irvine becoming extremelycar dependent today.
Pereira originally envisioned the university campus at the northern end of the Irvine Ranch. When the Irvine Company refused to relinquish valuable farmland in the flat central region of the ranch for this plan, the university site was moved to the base of thesouthern coastal hills. The city layout was based on the shape of a necklace (with the villages strung along two parallel main streets, which terminate atUniversity of California, Irvine (UCI), the "pendant").[20] Residential areas are now bordered by two commercial districts, theIrvine Business Complex to the west (part of theSouth Coast Plaza–John Wayne Airport edge city) andIrvine Spectrum to the east.
The planning areas of Irvine
All streets havelandscaping allowances. Rights-of-way for powerlines also serve as bicycle corridors, parks, and greenbelts to tie together ecological preserves. The city irrigates the greenery with reclaimed water.Thehomeowners' associations which govern some village neighborhoods exercise varying degrees of control on the appearances of homes. In more restrictive areas, houses' roofing, paint colors, and landscaping are regulated. Older parts of the Village of Northwood that were developed beginning in the early 1970s independently of the Irvine Company and does not have homeowners' associations.The more tightly regulated villages generally offer more amenities, such as members-only swimming pools, tennis courts and parks.
Homeowners in villages developed in the 1980s and later may be levied aMello-Roos special tax, which came about in the post-Proposition 13 era.
Rue Rueda Gigante Square in Irvine SpectrumA bridge over the artificial North Lake in Woodbridge, an Atlantic-style neighborhood
Late spring and early summer in Irvine is subject to theJune Gloom phenomenon widespread in southern California, with overcast mornings and occasional drizzle.Late summer and autumn are warm and mostly dry, with occasional bouts of humid weather extending fromPacific hurricanes off the west coast of Mexico.Winters are mild, with most winters having no frost, and can be hot and dry when theSanta Ana winds blow. Irvine has aMediterranean climate whereinprecipitation occurs predominantly during the winter months. Because Irvine is close to the coast, different parts of Irvine have differentmicroclimates; for instance, the June Gloom effect is stronger in the southern parts of Irvine, closer to the Pacific Ocean.
It can occasionally snow in theSanta Ana Mountains to the northeast of Irvine.[23] Snow within the lower-lying parts of Irvine is very rare, but the area received three inches of snow in January 1949.[24] Atornado touched down in Irvine in 1991, an event that happens in Orange County more generally approximately once every five years.[25]
Climate data for Irvine Ranch, Irvine, California (1991–2020 normals)
Irvine, California – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
The census reported that 205,819 people (96.9% of the population) lived in households, 5,968 (2.8%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 588 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 78,978 households, out of which 26,693 (33.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 40,930 (51.8%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 7,545 (9.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,978 (3.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3,218 (4.1%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 463 (0.6%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 18,475 households (23.4%) were made up of individuals, and 4,146 (5.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61. There were 51,453families (65.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.13.
The age distribution of the population was as follows: 45,675 people (21.5%) under the age of 18, 30,384 people (14.3%) aged 18 to 24, 66,670 people (31.4%) aged 25 to 44, 51,185 people (24.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 18,461 people (8.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.
There were 83,899 housing units at an average density of 1,262.5 per square mile (487.5/km2), of which 39,646 (50.2%) were owner-occupied, and 39,332 (49.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.2%. 109,846 people (51.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 95,973 people (45.2%) lived in rental housing units.
During 2009–2013, Irvine had a median household income of $90,585, with 12.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[53]
Thecensus[10] of 2000 found there were 143,072 people, 51,199 households, and 34,354 families in the city. The population density was 3,098.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,196.1/km2), as of the census. There were 53,711 housing units at an average density of 1,163.0 per square mile (449.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 61.1%White, 7.4% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race, 1.5%Black orAfrican American, 0.2%Native American, 29.8%Asian, 1.1%Pacific Islander, 2.5% fromother races, and 4.8% from two or more races.
There were 51,199 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 persons and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 14.4% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.
According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the median income for a household in the city was $98,923, and the median income for a family was $111,455; these numbers make Irvine the seventh richest city in the US, among cities with population 65,000 or higher.[54] 9.1% of the population and 5.0% of families were below thepoverty line. Of the total population, 6.1% of those under the age of 18 and 5.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
In 2006, the median gross rent paid for housing was $1,660 a month. This was the highest of any place in the United States of more than 100,000 people.[55]The skyrocketing high cost of housing is a major issue in Irvine and Orange County, as the city council faces pressure to approve future income-subsidized housing projects to meet the demands of working-class citizens.
Fountain atIrvine Spectrum Center. The center and its surrounding areas constitute a significant part of Irvine's economy.Blizzard Entertainment headquarters is located in Irvine.Among other companies,Toshiba America Electronics is located in the Newport Gateway buildings on MacArthur Boulevard.
Irvine's tourism information is coordinated through theDestination Irvine program run by the City of Irvine. The program provides information on Irvine as a place to vacation and as a destination for meetings, events and other business initiatives. Irvine has been rated one of the top cities for start-up businesses and its strong, fast-growing economy helped place Orange County as one of the top ten fastest growing job markets.[56]
Irvine is also used as a location for film projects. The city government grants free or low-cost filming permits and offers location information to prospective productions.
Every October, Irvine hosts the Irvine Global Village Festival to celebrate the diversity among the citizens of Irvine and Orange County. The festival consists of exhibits from local merchants, entertainment from diverse cultures, and sampling of foods from various regions of the world.[65] The event is held at theOrange County Great Park.
The Irvine Community Television (ICTV) produces and broadcasts television programs on news, sports, arts, culture, safety for the Irvine community. The motto of ICTV is "For You, About You". ICTV airs onCox Communications channel 30 and online.[66][67]
Irvine has three public libraries: Heritage Park Regional Library, University Park Library, and Katie Wheeler Library. The Heritage Library serves as the regional reference library for Central Orange County and has a strong business and art focus while the University Park Library has 95,745 books, including a substantial Chinese collection.[68] Katie Wheeler was the granddaughter of James Irvine, and the library is a replica of the house owned by Irvine in which she grew up.[69] Additionally, mostUCI Libraries are open to the public.[70]
Community parks in Irvine have public facilities located on each site, and neighborhood parks provide open space and some recreational amenities within the various villages of Irvine.
The City Council consists of the mayor and four City Council members.[76] The Mayor serves a two-year term and Council members serve four-year terms. The city has a two-term limit for elected officials. Elections are held every two years, on even-numbered years. Before 2024, two Council members and the Mayor's seat were up for consideration in each election. The City Council appoints the City Manager, who functions as the chief administrator of the city. The City Council sets the policies for the city, and the City Manager is responsible for implementing the policies. The City Council appoints volunteers that serve on various advisory boards, commissions and committees.
In October 2023, the Irvine City Council voted to propose an amendment to the city charter to elect council members by district and expand the council to seven members.[77] The Council also adopted a district map to take effect if Irvine voters approved the charter amendment.[77] After voters approved the charter amendment in theMarch 2024 Primary Election, Irvine will elect its first Council members by district in Irvine's 2024 municipal elections.[78] Council districts 2, 3 and 4 will elect Council members in presidential election years and Council districts 1, 5 and 6 will elect Council members in midterm election years.[79] In 2024, Council District 1 will also elect a Council member to serve a shortened two-year term until its first regular election in 2026.[79] Irvine's mayor will continue to be elected citywide.[79]
According to the city's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for FY2014–2015, as of June 30, 2015, the city has net assets of $2.59 billion. FY2014–15 revenues totaled $395.2 million, with property tax accounting for $50.7 million and sales tax accounting for $58.8 million. As of June 30, 2015, the city's governmental funds reported combined ending fund balances of $960.9 million.[85]
The city of Irvine is served by eight departments. These departments are responsible for managing and performing all of the business of theCity Hall and its services.
According to theOrange County Registrar of Voters, as of May 15, 2025, Irvine has 162,067 registered voters.[88] Of those, 60,212 (40.14%) were registered Democrats, 37,510 (25.00%) were registered Republicans, and 45,913 (30.61%) have declined to state a political party/are independents.[89]
Irvine voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election from1976 to2004. Since 2008, Irvine has voted for the Democratic candidate by a comfortable margin in each presidential election. In 2020, Democratic candidateJoe Biden won 64.3% of the vote in Irvine to RepublicanDonald Trump's 33.6%.
The Uniform Crime Report (UCR), collected annually by the FBI, compiles police statistics from local and state law enforcement agencies across the nation. The UCR records Part I and Part II crimes. Part I crimes become known to law enforcement and are considered the most serious crimes including homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Part II crimes only include arrest data[90]. The 2023 UCR Data for Irvine is listed below:
According to the2000 United States census, Irvine is ranked 7th nationwide, among cities with populations of at least 100,000, for having the highest percentage of people who are at least 25 years old withdoctoral degrees, with 3,589 residents reporting sucheducational attainment.[96]
In 2015, 5.0 percent of Irvine households lacked a car; this percentage decreased to 4.0 percent in 2016. The national average was 8.7 percent in 2016. Irvine averaged 1.83 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8.[99]
Additionally, OCTA operates and manages iShuttle, a series of three specialty routes servicing the Irvine area. Two lines, Route 400A and Route 401B, connect theTustin Metrolink Station to the Irvine Business Complex area. Route 400A provides service between the Tustin Metrolink Station andJohn Wayne Airport with stops along Von Karman Avenue. Route 401B heads along Jamboree Road before continuing through Main Street and Michelson Drive. The remaining line, Route 403D, offer connections between the Irvine Station and the Irvine Spectrum Area, which includes major employers such asKaiser Permanente – Irvine Medical Center, andHoag Hospital Irvine, theIrvine Spectrum Center, and residential communities The Park and The Village.[101]
The city launched its own shuttle service, Irvine CONNECT, in April 2024. The route passes through Northwood and El Camino Real via Yale Avenue, then Woodbridge, Oak Creek, and the Irvine Spectrum area via Barranca Parkway and Alton Parkway, before terminating at Irvine Station. Shuttles arrive at roughly 20-minute intervals.[102][103] The city plans to expand service north to Portola Parkway beginning in July of 2025.[104]
Tustin Metrolink Station, located adjacent to Irvine's western boundary, is served only by Metrolink.
In 2003, the City of Irvine designated a site 1.5 miles from Irvine Station as the future location of theOrange County Maintenance Facility (OCMF), a storage and service facility for Metrolink trains. An environmental study for the project was finalized in June 2022 and a Notice of Determination was filed by OCTA in October of 2023.[107][108]
A major contributing factor to the growth of Irvine was by freight rail provided byATSF (nowBNSF) Transportation. The Venta Spur was Irvine's firstspur. Built in the 1920s, it moved citrus from three processing plants in what is now Northwood to the rest of the country. The processing plants were essentially Irvine's first and biggest employers of the time.
The plants started to go out of business in the 1970s and the spur was abandoned in 1985. In 1999, following its donation to the city of Irvine, it was turned into the Venta Spur bike trail.
The Irvine Industrial Spur is the second railroad spur in Irvine. It serves various industries in Irvine's Business Complex.
Irvine offers a system of bicycle lanes and trails to encourage the recreational use of bikes as a means of transportation. There are 113.2 miles (182.2 km) of off-road bicycle trails and 286.4 miles (461 km) of on-road bicycle lanes in Irvine.[109]
^University Hills is subsidized (20–30% below market pricing) for professors and retired professors. It is the first such community of its kind in the nation.
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