Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 Garden Grove leads 10 of 18 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
Santa Ana
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High
Population
311,379 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
44% less violent crime than Santa Ana
More college-educated — 23.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Longer commutes — 29.1 min average each way
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Homes cost $79k less ($624,000 vs $702,600)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 20.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$1,929
$86,139 vs $84,210/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
44% lower
276.6 vs 493.1 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Santa Ana
Median Home Value
$79k less
$624,000 vs $702,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Santa Ana, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $624,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,885⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $84,210 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 8.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 | 81 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F | 69.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" | 12.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 | 311,379 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% ✓ Higher | 44.8% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Santa Ana's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 18 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 10 of 18 categories. Garden Grove wins 10 and Santa Ana wins 8. 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 Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $624,000 median home), income ($86,139 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Santa Ana, CA are about 5 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.