Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Thornton, CO
🏆 Thornton leads 14 of 23 categories
Garden Grove
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Thornton
Colorado
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$95,064 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
72 ✓ Safer
Population
141,799
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 48°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Thornton
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 4.6%)
Thornton, CO
Pros
Homes cost $257k less ($445,200 vs $702,600)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.6%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Households earn $8,925 more per year on average
More college-educated — 30.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $129/mo less ($1,758 vs $1,887)
Cons
Property crime (2835.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Thornton
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Thornton
Median Income
$8,925
$95,064 vs $86,139/yr
Thornton
Median Home Value
$257k less
$445,200 vs $702,600
Thornton
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.8% unemployment
Thornton
Summer Heat
8.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Thornton, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $445,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,758⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 | $95,064 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 30.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ 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 | 17.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 30.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 87.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Adams 12 Five Star Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 48.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 16.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 44.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 141,799 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 72.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 26.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 10.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Thornton's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Thornton is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Thornton leads 14 of 23 categories. Garden Grove wins 9 and Thornton wins 14. 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 Thornton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $445,200 median home), income ($86,139 vs $95,064), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Thornton, CO are about 834 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.