Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Gresham, OR
🏆 Garden Grove leads 12 of 22 categories
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 ✓ Larger
Gresham
Oregon
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,437
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High
Population
113,525
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
33% less violent crime than Gresham
Households earn $16,702 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 47°F
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 9% higher than Gresham
Gresham, OR
Pros
Homes cost $291k less ($411,700 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $435/mo less ($1,452 vs $1,887)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Smaller class sizes — 19.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Garden Grove by $16,702/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$16,702
$86,139 vs $69,437/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
33% lower
276.6 vs 410.2 per 100k
Gresham
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 106.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Gresham
Median Home Value
$291k less
$411,700 vs $702,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Gresham, OR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $411,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,452⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $69,437 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 27.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 10.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 116⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 19.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 23.2% |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 87.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Gresham-Barlow SD 10J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 46.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 81.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 40.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 113,525 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 55.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 22.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% | 14.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Gresham's 106.6 (US average = 100).
Gresham is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 12 of 22 categories. Garden Grove wins 12 and Gresham wins 10. 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 Garden Grove to Gresham or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $411,700 median home), income ($86,139 vs $69,437), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Gresham, OR are about 844 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.