Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Pearland, TX
🏆 Pearland leads 16 of 22 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
Pearland
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$111,123 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
25 ✓ Safer
Population
124,478
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Median income trails Pearland by $24,984/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Pearland
Pearland, TX
Pros
Homes cost $392k less ($311,100 vs $702,600)
65% less violent crime than Garden Grove
Households earn $24,984 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (3.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (95.9 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 47.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Longer commutes — 33.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Pearland
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Pearland
Median Income
$24,984
$111,123 vs $86,139/yr
Pearland
Violent Crime
65% lower
95.9 vs 276.6 per 100k
Pearland
Median Home Value
$392k less
$311,100 vs $702,600
Pearland
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.8% unemployment
Pearland
Summer Heat
10.8°F warmer
July avg high 93.3°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Pearland, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $311,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,622⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 | $111,123 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 3.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 33.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 10.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 | 43 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 | 25 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 | 69 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | A- (115) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 47.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 94.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | PEARLAND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 64.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 53.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 124,478 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 36.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 76.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 28.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 11.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Pearland's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Pearland is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Pearland leads 16 of 22 categories. Garden Grove wins 6 and Pearland wins 16. 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 Pearland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $311,100 median home), income ($86,139 vs $111,123), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Pearland, TX are about 1,360 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.