Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Norwalk, CT
🏆 Norwalk leads 17 of 23 categories
Garden Grove
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Norwalk
Connecticut
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$97,879 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
91,050
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 38°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Median income trails Norwalk by $11,740/yr
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Norwalk
Norwalk, CT
Pros
69% less violent crime than Garden Grove
Homes cost $211k less ($491,800 vs $702,600)
Violent crime is well below the national average (85.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 42.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $11,740 more per year on average
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Norwalk
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 106.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Norwalk
Median Income
$11,740
$97,879 vs $86,139/yr
Norwalk
Violent Crime
69% lower
85.0 vs 276.6 per 100k
Norwalk
Median Home Value
$211k less
$491,800 vs $702,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Norwalk, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 106.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $491,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,861⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 | $97,879 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 27.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 11.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 | 42 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 | 22 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 | 72 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | A- (113) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 42.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 88.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Norwalk School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 38.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 84.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 51.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 34.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 91,050 |
| Median Age | 39.2 | 40.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 54.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% ✓ More | 19.4% |
| Over 65 | 14.3% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Norwalk's 106.5 (US average = 100).
Norwalk is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Norwalk leads 17 of 23 categories. Garden Grove wins 6 and Norwalk wins 17. 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 Norwalk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $491,800 median home), income ($86,139 vs $97,879), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Norwalk, CT are about 2,468 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.