Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Rockford, IL
🏆 Garden Grove leads 13 of 23 categories
Garden Grove
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Rockford
Illinois
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,744
Violent Crime Index
284⚠ High
Population
148,173
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Households earn $35,395 more per year on average
74% less violent crime than Rockford
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (5.8%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 29°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Rockford
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Rockford, IL
Pros
Homes cost $589k less ($114,100 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $981/mo less ($906 vs $1,887)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.1)
Smaller class sizes — 17.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Garden Grove by $35,395/yr
Violent crime (1080.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2517.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.0% vs 5.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$35,395
$86,139 vs $50,744/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
74% lower
276.6 vs 1080.0 per 100k
Garden Grove
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
5.8% vs 9.0% unemployment
Rockford
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.1 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Rockford
Median Home Value
$589k less
$114,100 vs $702,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Rockford, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 90.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $114,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $906 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $50,744 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 7.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 218⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 284⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 120⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 17.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 23.1% |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 85.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Rockford SD 205 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 29.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 83.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 38.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 37.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 148,173 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 37.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 54.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% | 17.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Rockford's 90.1 (US average = 100).
Rockford is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 13 of 23 categories. Garden Grove wins 13 and Rockford wins 10. 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 Rockford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $114,100 median home), income ($86,139 vs $50,744), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Rockford, IL are about 1,669 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.