Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Phoenix, AZ
🏆 Phoenix leads 15 of 23 categories
Garden Grove
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637
Phoenix
Arizona
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,092
Violent Crime Index
210⚠ High
Population
1,609,456 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
65% less violent crime than Phoenix
Households earn $14,047 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 104°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Phoenix
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Phoenix, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $362k less ($340,200 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $565/mo less ($1,322 vs $1,887)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.2%)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 31.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (799.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Garden Grove by $14,047/yr
Hot summers — July highs average 104°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$14,047
$86,139 vs $72,092/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
65% lower
276.6 vs 799.6 per 100k
Phoenix
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Phoenix
Median Home Value
$362k less
$340,200 vs $702,600
Phoenix
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.2% vs 5.8% unemployment
Phoenix
Summer Heat
21.5°F warmer
July avg high 104.0°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Phoenix, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $340,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,322 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $72,092 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 25.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 14.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 171⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 210⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 15.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 31.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 83.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 65.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 104.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" | 8.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 | 1,609,456 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 34.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 56.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 11.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Phoenix's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Phoenix is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Phoenix leads 15 of 23 categories. Garden Grove wins 8 and Phoenix wins 15. 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 Phoenix or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $340,200 median home), income ($86,139 vs $72,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Phoenix, AZ are about 338 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.