Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
South Fulton, GA
🏆 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
South Fulton
Georgia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$77,488
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
107,865
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
41% less violent crime than South Fulton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (5.8%)
Households earn $8,651 more per year on average
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 54°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 90°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)
Cost of living runs 15% higher than South Fulton
South Fulton, GA
Pros
Homes cost $460k less ($242,200 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $426/mo less ($1,461 vs $1,887)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
More college-educated — 39.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 18.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (470.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Garden Grove by $8,651/yr
Higher unemployment (7.8% vs 5.8%)
Longer commutes — 32.5 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$8,651
$86,139 vs $77,488/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
41% lower
276.6 vs 470.5 per 100k
Garden Grove
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
5.8% vs 7.8% unemployment
South Fulton
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
South Fulton
Median Home Value
$460k less
$242,200 vs $702,600
South Fulton
Summer Heat
7.6°F warmer
July avg high 90.1°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | South Fulton, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $242,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,461⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $77,488 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 32.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C+ (86) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 18.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 39.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 93.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | State Specialty Schools I- Georgia Cyber Academy |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 54.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 90.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 107,865 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 11.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs South Fulton's 100.9 (US average = 100).
South Fulton is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 13 of 23 categories. Garden Grove wins 13 and South Fulton 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 South Fulton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $242,200 median home), income ($86,139 vs $77,488), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and South Fulton, GA are about 1,910 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.