Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Sugar Land, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 18 of 22 categories
Garden Grove
California
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Sugar Land
Texas
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$132,247 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
21 ✓ Safer
Population
110,077
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 94°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 64°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Median income trails Sugar Land by $46,108/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Sugar Land
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Homes cost $315k less ($387,900 vs $702,600)
72% less violent crime than Garden Grove
Households earn $46,108 more per year on average
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Sugar Land
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Sugar Land
Median Income
$46,108
$132,247 vs $86,139/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
72% lower
78.0 vs 276.6 per 100k
Sugar Land
Median Home Value
$315k less
$387,900 vs $702,600
Sugar Land
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.8% unemployment
Sugar Land
Summer Heat
11.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Sugar Land, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $387,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,868⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 | $132,247 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 30.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 16.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 | 21 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 16.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 61.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 94.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | FORT BEND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 64.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 110,077 |
| Median Age | 39.2 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 22.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% | 18.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Sugar Land's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Sugar Land is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 18 of 22 categories. Garden Grove wins 4 and Sugar Land wins 18. 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 Sugar Land or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $387,900 median home), income ($86,139 vs $132,247), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Sugar Land, TX are about 1,341 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.