Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Lancaster, CA
🏆 Garden Grove leads 13 of 21 categories
Garden Grove
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Lancaster
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,367
Violent Crime Index
220⚠ High
Population
171,465
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
67% less violent crime than Lancaster
Households earn $14,772 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (5.8%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 98°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 59°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)
Lancaster, CA
Pros
Homes cost $334k less ($368,800 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $311/mo less ($1,576 vs $1,887)
Cons
Violent crime (834.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Garden Grove by $14,772/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (7.5% vs 5.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$14,772
$86,139 vs $71,367/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
67% lower
276.6 vs 834.7 per 100k
Garden Grove
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
5.8% vs 7.5% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Lancaster
Median Home Value
$334k less
$368,800 vs $702,600
Lancaster
Summer Heat
15.1°F warmer
July avg high 97.6°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Lancaster, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $368,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,576⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $71,367 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 30.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 8.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 168⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C- (63) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 22.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 19.4% |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Lancaster Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 58.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 97.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" | 6.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 171,465 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 33.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 57.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 11.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Lancaster's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 13 of 21 categories. Garden Grove wins 13 and Lancaster wins 8. 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 Lancaster or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $368,800 median home), income ($86,139 vs $71,367), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Lancaster, CA are about 64 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.