Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Los Angeles, 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
Los Angeles
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,244
Violent Crime Index
192⚠ High
Population
3,881,041 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
62% less violent crime than Los Angeles
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (5.8%)
Homes cost $120k less ($702,600 vs $822,600)
Households earn $9,895 more per year on average
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Los Angeles, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 36.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $96/mo less ($1,791 vs $1,887)
Smaller class sizes — 19.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (728.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Pricier housing — median home is $822,600
Median income trails Garden Grove by $9,895/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$9,895
$86,139 vs $76,244/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
62% lower
276.6 vs 728.5 per 100k
Garden Grove
Median Home Value
$120k less
$702,600 vs $822,600
Garden Grove
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
5.8% vs 7.7% unemployment
Garden Grove
Summer Heat
4.5°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 78.0°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Los Angeles, 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 ✓ Lower | $822,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,791⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $76,244 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 15.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 192⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 | 71 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B- (93) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 36.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 78.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Los Angeles Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 66.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 14.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 | 3,881,041 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% ✓ Higher | 36.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% ✓ More | 19.7% |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Los Angeles'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 Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $822,600 median home), income ($86,139 vs $76,244), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Los Angeles, CA are about 31 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.