Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Garden Grove, CA
🏆 Clifton leads 15 of 23 categories
Clifton
New Jersey
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$94,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
89,451
Garden Grove
California
8
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.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Homes cost $275k less ($428,000 vs $702,600)
40% less violent crime than Garden Grove
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.8 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $254/mo less ($1,633 vs $1,887)
More college-educated — 34.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $8,040 more per year on average
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 39°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.8%)
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
Median income trails Clifton by $8,040/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 112.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Clifton
Median Income
$8,040
$94,179 vs $86,139/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
40% lower
165.8 vs 276.6 per 100k
Clifton
Median Home Value
$275k less
$428,000 vs $702,600
Clifton
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 86.5°F vs 82.5°F
Garden Grove
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.8% vs 6.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Garden Grove, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High ✓ Lower | $702,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,887⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $86,139 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 29.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% | 8.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 73 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 23.5% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 75.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Garden Grove Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 171,637 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 39.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 54.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 21.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 14.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Garden Grove's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Clifton is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clifton leads 15 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 15 and Garden Grove wins 8. 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 Clifton to Garden Grove or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $702,600 median home), income ($94,179 vs $86,139), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Garden Grove, CA are about 2,430 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.