Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, NC
VS
Garden Grove, CA
🏆 Garden Grove leads 12 of 23 categories
Fayetteville
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$53,424
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
208,697 ✓ Larger
Garden Grove
California
12
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.
Fayetteville, NC
Pros
Homes cost $544k less ($158,500 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $770/mo less ($1,117 vs $1,887)
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
More college-educated — 28.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Garden Grove by $32,715/yr
Violent crime (660.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3094.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 5.8%)
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Households earn $32,715 more per year on average
58% less violent crime than Fayetteville
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (5.8%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 54°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Cost of living runs 24% higher than Fayetteville
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$544k less
$158,500 vs $702,600
Fayetteville
Summer Heat
8.4°F warmer
July avg high 90.9°F vs 82.5°F
Garden Grove
Median Income
$32,715
$86,139 vs $53,424/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
58% lower
276.6 vs 660.2 per 100k
Garden Grove
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
5.8% vs 8.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, NC | Garden Grove, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,500 ✓ Lower | $702,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,117 ✓ Lower | $1,887⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $53,424 | $86,139 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.4%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.0 min ✓ Shorter | 29.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 5.4% | 8.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 163⚠ High | 77 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 174⚠ High | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.5% ✓ Higher | 23.5% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 75.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cumberland County Schools | Garden Grove Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.1°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.9°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.9" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 208,697 ✓ Larger | 171,637 |
| Median Age | 30.5 | 39.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.4% | 54.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.6% ✓ More | 21.2% |
| Over 65 | 12.6% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.4 vs Garden Grove's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 12 of 23 categories. Fayetteville wins 11 and Garden Grove wins 12. 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 Fayetteville to Garden Grove or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,500 vs $702,600 median home), income ($53,424 vs $86,139), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, NC and Garden Grove, CA are about 2,209 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.