Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Sacramento, CA
🏆 Sacramento 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
Sacramento
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,954
Violent Crime Index
199⚠ High
Population
523,600 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
63% less violent crime than Sacramento
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.8%)
Households earn $7,185 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 57°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Longer commutes — 29.1 min average each way
Sacramento, CA
Pros
Homes cost $252k less ($450,500 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $295/mo less ($1,592 vs $1,887)
More college-educated — 35.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Cons
Violent crime (754.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2547.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Garden Grove by $7,185/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$7,185
$86,139 vs $78,954/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
63% lower
276.6 vs 754.9 per 100k
Garden Grove
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.8% vs 6.3% unemployment
Sacramento
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 108.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Sacramento
Median Home Value
$252k less
$450,500 vs $702,600
Sacramento
Summer Heat
11.9°F warmer
July avg high 94.4°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Sacramento, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 108.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $450,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,592⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $78,954 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 15.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 168⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 121⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B- (93) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 22.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 35.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 86.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Sacramento City Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 56.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 94.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 20.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 | 523,600 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 35.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% ✓ Higher | 50.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 13.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Sacramento's 108.9 (US average = 100).
Sacramento is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Sacramento leads 12 of 22 categories. Garden Grove wins 10 and Sacramento 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 Sacramento or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $450,500 median home), income ($86,139 vs $78,954), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Sacramento, CA are about 384 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.