Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carson, CA
VS
Garden Grove, CA
🏆 Garden Grove leads 11 of 21 categories
Carson
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$103,045 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
94,475
Garden Grove
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carson, CA
Pros
Households earn $16,906 more per year on average
Homes cost $87k less ($616,000 vs $702,600)
More college-educated — 29.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 83°F
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (2930.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.9% vs 5.8%)
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
34% less violent crime than Carson
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (5.8%)
Cons
Median income trails Carson by $16,906/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Key Differences at a Glance
Carson
Median Income
$16,906
$103,045 vs $86,139/yr
Carson
Median Home Value
$87k less
$616,000 vs $702,600
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
34% lower
276.6 vs 420.0 per 100k
Garden Grove
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
5.8% vs 6.9% unemployment
Garden Grove
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 76.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carson, CA | Garden Grove, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $616,000⚠ High ✓ Lower | $702,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,815⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,887⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,045 ✓ Higher | $86,139 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.6 min ✓ Shorter | 29.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.8% | 8.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 122⚠ High | 77 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 140⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (88) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 22.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.6% ✓ Higher | 23.5% |
| High School or Higher | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 75.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | Garden Grove Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 66.8°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.9°F | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.6" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 94,475 | 171,637 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.3 ✓ Older | 39.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.7% ✓ Higher | 54.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | 21.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.2% ✓ More | 14.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carson's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Garden Grove's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 11 of 21 categories. Carson wins 10 and Garden Grove wins 11. 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 Carson to Garden Grove or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($616,000 vs $702,600 median home), income ($103,045 vs $86,139), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carson, CA and Garden Grove, CA are about 17 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.