Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fullerton, CA
VS
Garland, TX
🏆 Garland leads 13 of 23 categories
Fullerton
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,279 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
120⚠ High
Population
142,280
Garland
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,044
Violent Crime Index
61 ✓ Safer
Population
244,026 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fullerton, CA
Pros
Households earn $28,235 more per year on average
More college-educated — 44.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 56°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $791,000
Higher rents — median is $1,989/mo
Violent crime (455.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Garland, TX
Pros
Homes cost $562k less ($229,000 vs $791,000)
49% less violent crime than Fullerton
Rent averages $568/mo less ($1,421 vs $1,989)
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (5.2%)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Fullerton
Cons
Median income trails Fullerton by $28,235/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Fullerton
Median Income
$28,235
$99,279 vs $71,044/yr
Garland
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Garland
Violent Crime
49% lower
232.7 vs 455.3 per 100k
Garland
Median Home Value
$562k less
$229,000 vs $791,000
Garland
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
5.2% vs 6.9% unemployment
Garland
Summer Heat
9.9°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 84.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fullerton, CA | Garland, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $791,000⚠ High | $229,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,989⚠ High | $1,421⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,279 ✓ Higher | $71,044 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.0 min⚠ High | 29.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 9.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High | 75 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 120⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 95 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 25.3:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.0% ✓ Higher | 24.1% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% ✓ Higher | 78.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fullerton Elementary | GARLAND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.9" ✓ Drier | 41.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,280 | 244,026 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.5 ✓ Older | 34.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% | 62.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 12.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fullerton's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Garland's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Garland is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garland leads 13 of 23 categories. Fullerton wins 10 and Garland wins 13. 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 Fullerton to Garland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($791,000 vs $229,000 median home), income ($99,279 vs $71,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fullerton, CA and Garland, TX are about 1,228 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.