University Town Center Neighborhood Guide

University Town Center (UTC) is a neighborhood in the southwestern area of Irvine, California. Adjacent to the University of California, Irvine (UCI), UTC is considered one of the best places to live in California. UTC has over 6,000 residents and is home to many young professionals who tend to be highly educated.

There are no free-standing single family homes in the neighborhood. Instead, the area is populated with condominiums, townhomes and apartment buildings that accommodate the large number of renters in the area. Homes that are sold are usually more affordable than in other Southern California communities. The most walkable neighborhood in Irvine, UTC has about fifty-four restaurants, bars and coffee shops, all of which can be reached within a five-minute walk.

Most daily errands can be accomplished by bicycle or on foot. Six public schools in the Irvine Unified School District serve the UTC community. Some of the schools are among the most highly rated in California.

Because University Town Center is essentially an extension of the campus of UCI, the community has an urban feel and is populated with younger people, mostly within the eighteen to forty-five age group. The largest ethnic group in UTC is Asian. The abundance of apartment buildings and presence of campus services in UTC reflects the influence of university culture on the community.

Most people living in University Town Center are renters. There are many restaurants and services available to accommodate students and university staff. Residents regularly engage in entertainment and recreational activities in community, regional or state parks and entertainment venues like Irvine Barclay Theatre.

There are six public schools and one private school serving University Town Center. The public schools are all in the Irvine Unified School District. The two elementary schools are Turtle Rock Elementary School and University Park Elementary School. Turtle Rock Elementary is one of the highest performing schools in California. University Park Elementary School is also a highly rated school. Rancho San Joaquin Middle School is considered one of the best middle schools in California.

University High School is a top-rated school, and Creekside High School is an above average alternative school. Both high schools promote high academic achievement and a diverse school culture. Alternative Education-San Joaquin High School is an alternative public school that accepts Kindergarten through 12th grade students. This school is a highly rated school that serves 76 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade and ranks at 373 of 2,534 best public elementary schools in California.

The types of housing in University Town Center include a handful of condo and attached housing options. A large portion of the housing available in UTC is apartment units.

Homes in UTC represent a wide range of time periods and styles. Most residential structures sit on average sized lots. A typical housing unit in the neighborhood has two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Garages and carports are the most common parking options. Because a large percentage of UTC residents are renters, there’s an abundance of apartment buildings in the neighborhood. In roughly thirteen apartment complexes, there are often at least fifty units available for rent at any given time.

One housing option in UTC is provided by Rexidence Residential Services, which offers fully furnished short-term units. Kapi Residences Student Housing is also located in University Town Center. Quite often, individual rooms are available for housing in rented or owner-occupied homes.