Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Garden Grove, CA
🏆 Garden Grove leads 12 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606
Garden Grove
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $63,412 more per year on average
50% less violent crime than Garden Grove
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.0%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Property crime (3339.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Homes cost $437k less ($702,600 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $535/mo less ($1,887 vs $2,422)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 47°F
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $63,412/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 4.0%)
Longer commutes — 29.1 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 113.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Bellevue
Median Income
$63,412
$149,551 vs $86,139/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
50% lower
138.6 vs 276.6 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.8% unemployment
Garden Grove
Median Home Value
$437k less
$702,600 vs $1,139,500
Garden Grove
Summer Heat
6.0°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Garden Grove, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $702,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,887⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $86,139 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 29.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 8.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 77 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 73 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 23.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 75.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Garden Grove Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 | 171,637 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 39.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 54.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 21.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 14.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Garden Grove's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Bellevue is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 12 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 11 and Garden Grove wins 12. 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 Bellevue to Garden Grove or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $702,600 median home), income ($149,551 vs $86,139), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Garden Grove, CA are about 979 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.