Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Elizabeth, NJ
VS
Garden Grove, CA
🏆 Garden Grove leads 15 of 23 categories
Elizabeth
New Jersey
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,939
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High
Population
135,665
Garden Grove
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
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.
Elizabeth, NJ
Pros
Homes cost $344k less ($358,400 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $497/mo less ($1,390 vs $1,887)
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Cons
Median income trails Garden Grove by $26,200/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Property crime (2657.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Households earn $26,200 more per year on average
32% less violent crime than Elizabeth
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 40°F
More college-educated — 23.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Elizabeth
Key Differences at a Glance
Elizabeth
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 112.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Elizabeth
Median Home Value
$344k less
$358,400 vs $702,600
Elizabeth
Summer Heat
4.4°F warmer
July avg high 86.9°F vs 82.5°F
Garden Grove
Median Income
$26,200
$86,139 vs $59,939/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
32% lower
276.6 vs 408.7 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Elizabeth, 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 | $358,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $702,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,390⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,887⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,939 | $86,139 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.7 min ✓ Shorter | 29.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 4.8% | 8.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 115⚠ High | 77 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 14.1% | 23.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 74.3% | 75.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Elizabeth Public Schools | Garden Grove Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 40.0°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.9°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.6" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 31.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 135,665 | 171,637 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.7 | 39.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 25.1% | 54.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 21.2% |
| Over 65 | 11.4% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Elizabeth's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Garden Grove's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Elizabeth is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 15 of 23 categories. Elizabeth wins 8 and Garden Grove wins 15. 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 Elizabeth to Garden Grove or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($358,400 vs $702,600 median home), income ($59,939 vs $86,139), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Elizabeth, NJ and Garden Grove, CA are about 2,429 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.