Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Santa Maria, CA
🏆 Garden Grove leads 16 of 22 categories
Garden Grove
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Santa Maria
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$81,237
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
109,543
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
58% less violent crime than Santa Maria
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.8%)
More college-educated — 23.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $4,902 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)
Longer commutes — 29.1 min average each way
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Homes cost $265k less ($438,100 vs $702,600)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 83°F
Rent averages $119/mo less ($1,768 vs $1,887)
Smaller class sizes — 21.2:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Cons
Violent crime (660.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Median income trails Garden Grove by $4,902/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$4,902
$86,139 vs $81,237/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
58% lower
276.6 vs 660.6 per 100k
Garden Grove
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.8% vs 6.3% unemployment
Garden Grove
Summer Heat
9.2°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 73.3°F
Santa Maria
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 113.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Santa Maria
Median Home Value
$265k less
$438,100 vs $702,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Santa Maria, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $438,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,768⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $81,237 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 140⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 174⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 21.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 14.5% |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Santa Maria-Bonita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 64.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 13.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 109,543 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% ✓ Higher | 51.2% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Santa Maria's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Santa Maria is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 16 of 22 categories. Garden Grove wins 16 and Santa Maria wins 6. 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 Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $438,100 median home), income ($86,139 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Santa Maria, CA are about 163 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.