Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carlsbad, CA
VS
Gresham, OR
🏆 Carlsbad leads 16 of 23 categories
Carlsbad
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$134,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
114,745 ✓ Larger
Gresham
Oregon
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,437
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High
Population
113,525
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carlsbad, CA
Pros
Households earn $64,702 more per year on average
51% less violent crime than Gresham
More college-educated — 59.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (199.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 47°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 82°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,070,500
Higher rents — median is $2,477/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Gresham
Gresham, OR
Pros
Homes cost $659k less ($411,700 vs $1,070,500)
Rent averages $1025/mo less ($1,452 vs $2,477)
Smaller class sizes — 19.9:1 student-teacher ratio
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Carlsbad
Cons
Median income trails Carlsbad by $64,702/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Carlsbad
Median Income
$64,702
$134,139 vs $69,437/yr
Carlsbad
Violent Crime
51% lower
199.1 vs 410.2 per 100k
Gresham
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 106.6 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Gresham
Median Home Value
$659k less
$411,700 vs $1,070,500
Gresham
Summer Heat
7.4°F warmer
July avg high 81.6°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carlsbad, CA | Gresham, OR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,070,500⚠ High | $411,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,477⚠ High | $1,452⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $134,139 ✓ Higher | $69,437 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High | 27.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.8% ✓ Higher | 10.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 116⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.7:1 | 19.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 23.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.1% ✓ Higher | 87.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carlsbad Unified | Gresham-Barlow SD 10J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.0°F ✓ Warmer | 46.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 81.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.4" ✓ Drier | 40.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,745 ✓ Larger | 113,525 |
| Median Age | 42.4 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.2% ✓ Higher | 55.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% ✓ More | 22.4% |
| Over 65 | 17.8% ✓ More | 14.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carlsbad's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Gresham's 106.6 (US average = 100).
Gresham is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carlsbad leads 16 of 23 categories. Carlsbad wins 16 and Gresham wins 7. 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 Carlsbad to Gresham or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,070,500 vs $411,700 median home), income ($134,139 vs $69,437), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carlsbad, CA and Gresham, OR are about 898 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.