Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Garden Grove
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637
Rancho Cucamonga
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$105,534 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
174,696 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Rent averages $297/mo less ($1,887 vs $2,184)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 22.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Rancho Cucamonga by $19,395/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Rancho Cucamonga
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Pros
Households earn $19,395 more per year on average
More college-educated — 37.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Homes cost $45k less ($657,400 vs $702,600)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,184/mo
Longer commutes — 33.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
6% lower
276.6 vs 293.7 per 100k
Rancho Cucamonga
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 107.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Rancho Cucamonga
Median Income
$19,395
$105,534 vs $86,139/yr
Rancho Cucamonga
Median Home Value
$45k less
$657,400 vs $702,600
Rancho Cucamonga
Summer Heat
11.3°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Rancho Cucamonga, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $657,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,184⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 | $105,534 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 33.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 10.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 81 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 86 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 25.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 37.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 91.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Alta Loma Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 67.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 17.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 | 174,696 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 37.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 63.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Rancho Cucamonga's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Rancho Cucamonga is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Garden Grove wins 11 and Rancho Cucamonga 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 Rancho Cucamonga or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $657,400 median home), income ($86,139 vs $105,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Rancho Cucamonga, CA are about 33 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.