Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Lubbock, TX
🏆 Lubbock leads 12 of 23 categories
Garden Grove
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637
Lubbock
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,734
Violent Crime Index
216⚠ High
Population
258,190 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
66% less violent crime than Lubbock
Households earn $27,405 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 55°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Lubbock
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Lubbock, TX
Pros
Homes cost $521k less ($181,600 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $794/mo less ($1,093 vs $1,887)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.6%)
More college-educated — 34.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Garden Grove by $27,405/yr
Violent crime (821.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2628.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$27,405
$86,139 vs $58,734/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
66% lower
276.6 vs 821.0 per 100k
Lubbock
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Lubbock
Median Home Value
$521k less
$181,600 vs $702,600
Lubbock
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.8% unemployment
Lubbock
Summer Heat
10.2°F warmer
July avg high 92.7°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Lubbock, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 90.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $181,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,093 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $58,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 16.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 5.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B+ (108) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 34.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 88.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | LUBBOCK ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 55.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 92.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 20.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 7.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 | 258,190 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 30.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% ✓ Higher | 51.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 22.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 12.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Lubbock's 90.9 (US average = 100).
Lubbock is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lubbock leads 12 of 23 categories. Garden Grove wins 11 and Lubbock 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 Lubbock or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $181,600 median home), income ($86,139 vs $58,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Lubbock, TX are about 923 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.