Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Philadelphia, PA
🏆 Garden Grove leads 12 of 23 categories
Garden Grove
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,537
Violent Crime Index
239⚠ High
Population
1,593,208 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
70% less violent crime than Philadelphia
Households earn $28,602 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.8 pts lower (5.8%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 42°F
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 89°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 12% higher than Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Pros
Homes cost $487k less ($215,500 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $637/mo less ($1,250 vs $1,887)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
More college-educated — 33.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Garden Grove by $28,602/yr
Violent crime (908.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4548.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 5.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$28,602
$86,139 vs $57,537/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
70% lower
276.6 vs 908.7 per 100k
Garden Grove
Unemployment
2.8 pp lower
5.8% vs 8.6% unemployment
Philadelphia
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 103.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Philadelphia
Median Home Value
$487k less
$215,500 vs $702,600
Philadelphia
Summer Heat
6.8°F warmer
July avg high 89.3°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Philadelphia, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 103.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $215,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,250 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $57,537 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 32.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 13.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 230⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 239⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 217⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B- (92) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 33.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 86.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Philadelphia City SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 41.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 89.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 50.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 16.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 | 1,593,208 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 34.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% ✓ Higher | 52.2% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 14.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Philadelphia's 103.5 (US average = 100).
Philadelphia is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 12 of 23 categories. Garden Grove wins 12 and Philadelphia wins 11. 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 Philadelphia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $215,500 median home), income ($86,139 vs $57,537), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Philadelphia, PA are about 2,382 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.