Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carmel, IN
VS
Garden Grove, CA
🏆 Carmel leads 19 of 23 categories
Carmel
Indiana
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$132,859 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
17 ✓ Safer
Population
99,453
Garden Grove
California
4
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.
Carmel, IN
Pros
Homes cost $277k less ($425,900 vs $702,600)
76% less violent crime than Garden Grove
Households earn $46,720 more per year on average
More college-educated — 73.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (2.6%)
21% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 35°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Median income trails Carmel by $46,720/yr
Cost of living runs 21% higher than Carmel
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Carmel
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Carmel
Median Income
$46,720
$132,859 vs $86,139/yr
Carmel
Violent Crime
76% lower
66.0 vs 276.6 per 100k
Carmel
Median Home Value
$277k less
$425,900 vs $702,600
Carmel
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
2.6% vs 5.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carmel, IN | Garden Grove, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $425,900⚠ High ✓ Lower | $702,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,499⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,887⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,859 ✓ Higher | $86,139 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 29.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 8.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 26 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 73 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 84 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.7% ✓ Higher | 23.5% |
| High School or Higher | 98.1% ✓ Higher | 75.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carmel Clay Schools | Garden Grove Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.2" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,453 | 171,637 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 39.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.6% ✓ Higher | 54.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 21.2% |
| Over 65 | 14.7% ✓ More | 14.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carmel's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Garden Grove's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Carmel is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carmel leads 19 of 23 categories. Carmel wins 19 and Garden Grove wins 4. 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 Carmel to Garden Grove or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,900 vs $702,600 median home), income ($132,859 vs $86,139), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carmel, IN and Garden Grove, CA are about 1,799 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.