Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Houston, TX
🏆 Houston leads 12 of 22 categories
Garden Grove
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637
Houston
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,440
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
76% less violent crime than Houston
Households earn $25,699 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.8%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 93°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 63°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 15% higher than Houston
Houston, TX
Pros
Homes cost $468k less ($235,000 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $652/mo less ($1,235 vs $1,887)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Garden Grove by $25,699/yr
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 5.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$25,699
$86,139 vs $60,440/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
76% lower
276.6 vs 1148.2 per 100k
Garden Grove
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.8% vs 6.6% unemployment
Houston
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Houston
Median Home Value
$468k less
$235,000 vs $702,600
Houston
Summer Heat
10.7°F warmer
July avg high 93.2°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $235,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,235 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $60,440 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 27.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 9.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 263⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 302⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 204⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B (100) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 35.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 79.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | HOUSTON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 62.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 93.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 55.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% ✓ Higher | 42.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 23.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 11.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Houston's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Houston is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Houston leads 12 of 22 categories. Garden Grove wins 10 and Houston 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 Garden Grove to Houston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $235,000 median home), income ($86,139 vs $60,440), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Houston, TX are about 1,351 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.