Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Aurora, CO
VS
Garden Grove, CA
🏆 Aurora leads 13 of 23 categories
Aurora
Colorado
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,685
Violent Crime Index
249⚠ High
Population
387,349 ✓ Larger
Garden Grove
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Aurora, CO
Pros
Homes cost $293k less ($409,700 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $236/mo less ($1,651 vs $1,887)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
More college-educated — 31.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (947.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3103.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Garden Grove by $7,454/yr
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
71% less violent crime than Aurora
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 47°F
Households earn $7,454 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 90°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Aurora
Key Differences at a Glance
Aurora
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Aurora
Median Home Value
$293k less
$409,700 vs $702,600
Aurora
Summer Heat
7.9°F warmer
July avg high 90.4°F vs 82.5°F
Garden Grove
Median Income
$7,454
$86,139 vs $78,685/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
71% lower
276.6 vs 947.8 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Aurora, CO | Garden Grove, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $409,700⚠ High ✓ Lower | $702,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,651⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,887⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,685 | $86,139 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.4 min⚠ High | 29.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.0% ✓ Higher | 8.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 209⚠ High | 77 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 249⚠ High | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 148⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% ✓ Higher | 23.5% |
| High School or Higher | 86.9% ✓ Higher | 75.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the counties of Adams and A | Garden Grove Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.3°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.4°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.5" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 387,349 ✓ Larger | 171,637 |
| Median Age | 35.1 | 39.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.5% ✓ Higher | 54.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% ✓ More | 21.2% |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Aurora's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Garden Grove's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Aurora is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Aurora leads 13 of 23 categories. Aurora wins 13 and Garden Grove wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Aurora to Garden Grove or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($409,700 vs $702,600 median home), income ($78,685 vs $86,139), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Aurora, CO and Garden Grove, CA are about 838 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.