Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Raleigh, NC
🏆 Raleigh leads 12 of 23 categories
Garden Grove
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637
Raleigh
North Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,631
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
465,517 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
43% less violent crime than Raleigh
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 52°F
Households earn $7,508 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Raleigh
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Raleigh, NC
Pros
Homes cost $356k less ($347,000 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $516/mo less ($1,371 vs $1,887)
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.5%)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Violent crime (488.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2819.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Garden Grove by $7,508/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$7,508
$86,139 vs $78,631/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
43% lower
276.6 vs 488.8 per 100k
Raleigh
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Raleigh
Median Home Value
$356k less
$347,000 vs $702,600
Raleigh
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.8% unemployment
Raleigh
Summer Heat
8.1°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Raleigh, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $347,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,371⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $78,631 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 20.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 131⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 134⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | A- (117) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 52.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 92.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Wake County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 51.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 49.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 4.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 | 465,517 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 34.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% ✓ Higher | 51.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% ✓ More | 20.0% |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 11.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Raleigh's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Raleigh is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Raleigh leads 12 of 23 categories. Garden Grove wins 11 and Raleigh wins 12. 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 Raleigh or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $347,000 median home), income ($86,139 vs $78,631), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Raleigh, NC are about 2,220 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.