Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
O'Fallon, MO
🏆 O'Fallon 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
O'Fallon
Missouri
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$104,863 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
91,825
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 39°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 88°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Cost of living runs 19% higher than O'Fallon
Median income trails O'Fallon by $18,724/yr
O'Fallon, MO
Pros
Homes cost $419k less ($283,600 vs $702,600)
79% less violent crime than Garden Grove
Rent averages $576/mo less ($1,311 vs $1,887)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (3.1%)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Violent crime is well below the national average (59.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
O'Fallon
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
O'Fallon
Median Income
$18,724
$104,863 vs $86,139/yr
O'Fallon
Violent Crime
79% lower
59.0 vs 276.6 per 100k
O'Fallon
Median Home Value
$419k less
$283,600 vs $702,600
O'Fallon
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
3.1% vs 5.8% unemployment
O'Fallon
Summer Heat
5.0°F warmer
July avg high 87.5°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | O'Fallon, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $283,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,311 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 | $104,863 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 3.1% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 26.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 14.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 | 18 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 | 16 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 | 23 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | A (118) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 12.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 42.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 95.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | FORT ZUMWALT SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 39.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 87.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 44.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 91,825 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 38.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 80.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 24.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs O'Fallon's 96.3 (US average = 100).
O'Fallon is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, O'Fallon leads 17 of 23 categories. Garden Grove wins 6 and O'Fallon 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 O'Fallon or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $283,600 median home), income ($86,139 vs $104,863), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and O'Fallon, MO are about 1,550 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.