Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Rio Rancho, NM
🏆 Rio Rancho leads 17 of 23 categories
Garden Grove
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Rio Rancho
New Mexico
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,978
Violent Crime Index
84
Population
104,351
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
13% less violent crime than Rio Rancho
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 50°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 96°F
Households earn $7,161 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Rio Rancho
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Rio Rancho, NM
Pros
Homes cost $456k less ($246,700 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $530/mo less ($1,357 vs $1,887)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
More college-educated — 33.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.0)
Smaller class sizes — 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Garden Grove by $7,161/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$7,161
$86,139 vs $78,978/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
13% lower
276.6 vs 318.2 per 100k
Rio Rancho
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 93.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Rio Rancho
Median Home Value
$456k less
$246,700 vs $702,600
Rio Rancho
Summer Heat
13.0°F warmer
July avg high 95.5°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Rio Rancho, NM |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 93.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $246,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,357⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $78,978 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 28.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 12.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 | 76 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 84 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 | 64 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 13.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 33.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 94.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | SANDOVAL ACADEMY OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 49.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 95.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 9.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 104,351 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 39.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 81.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 24.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Rio Rancho's 93.0 (US average = 100).
Rio Rancho is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Rio Rancho leads 17 of 23 categories. Garden Grove wins 6 and Rio Rancho wins 17. 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 Rio Rancho or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $246,700 median home), income ($86,139 vs $78,978), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Rio Rancho, NM are about 649 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.