Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Lynn, MA
🏆 Garden Grove leads 14 of 23 categories
Garden Grove
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Lynn
Massachusetts
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$70,046
Violent Crime Index
151⚠ High
Population
100,653
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
52% less violent crime than Lynn
Households earn $16,093 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 36°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 4% higher than Lynn
Lynn, MA
Pros
Homes cost $260k less ($442,800 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $376/mo less ($1,511 vs $1,887)
Smaller class sizes — 12.0:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Cons
Violent crime (574.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Garden Grove by $16,093/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.6)
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$16,093
$86,139 vs $70,046/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
52% lower
276.6 vs 574.6 per 100k
Lynn
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 111.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Lynn
Median Home Value
$260k less
$442,800 vs $702,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Lynn, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 111.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $442,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,511⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $70,046 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 113⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 151⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 | 56 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 12.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 21.9% |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 77.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Lynn |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 36.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 80.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 47.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 39.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 100,653 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 36.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% ✓ Higher | 48.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 13.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Lynn's 111.6 (US average = 100).
Lynn is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 14 of 23 categories. Garden Grove wins 14 and Lynn wins 9. 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 Lynn or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $442,800 median home), income ($86,139 vs $70,046), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Lynn, MA are about 2,590 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.