Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Riverside, CA
🏆 Riverside leads 12 of 22 categories
Garden Grove
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637
Riverside
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,448
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High
Population
316,076 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
53% less violent crime than Riverside
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 95°F
Households earn $2,691 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Riverside
Riverside, CA
Pros
Homes cost $217k less ($485,500 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $176/mo less ($1,711 vs $1,887)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Cons
Violent crime (589.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2832.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Garden Grove by $2,691/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$2,691
$86,139 vs $83,448/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
53% lower
276.6 vs 589.7 per 100k
Riverside
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 107.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Riverside
Median Home Value
$217k less
$485,500 vs $702,600
Riverside
Summer Heat
12.8°F warmer
July avg high 95.3°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Riverside, 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 | $485,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,711⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $83,448 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 8.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 155⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | C+ (88) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 24.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 82.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Riverside Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 95.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" | 10.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 | 316,076 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 32.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 55.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Riverside's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Riverside is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Riverside leads 12 of 22 categories. Garden Grove wins 10 and Riverside 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 Riverside or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $485,500 median home), income ($86,139 vs $83,448), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Riverside, CA are about 34 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.