Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Garden Grove, CA
🏆 El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories
El Paso
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Garden Grove
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $543k less ($159,300 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $911/mo less ($976 vs $1,887)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
More college-educated — 27.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Garden Grove by $30,429/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 5.8%)
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Households earn $30,429 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (5.8%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 96°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 59°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than El Paso
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Median Home Value
$543k less
$159,300 vs $702,600
El Paso
Summer Heat
13.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 82.5°F
Garden Grove
Median Income
$30,429
$86,139 vs $55,710/yr
Garden Grove
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
5.8% vs 6.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Garden Grove, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $159,300 ✓ Lower | $702,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $1,887⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 | $86,139 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 29.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 8.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 | 73 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 84 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% ✓ Higher | 23.5% |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% ✓ Higher | 75.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | Garden Grove Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 12.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 ✓ Larger | 171,637 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 39.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 54.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 21.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Garden Grove's 115.5 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories. El Paso 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 El Paso to Garden Grove or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $702,600 median home), income ($55,710 vs $86,139), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Garden Grove, CA are about 682 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.