Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Torrance, CA
🏆 Garden Grove leads 11 of 21 categories
Garden Grove
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Torrance
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,554 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
82
Population
145,454
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Homes cost $260k less ($702,600 vs $962,300)
11% less violent crime than Torrance
Rent averages $245/mo less ($1,887 vs $2,132)
Smaller class sizes — 22.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Torrance by $23,415/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Torrance, CA
Pros
Households earn $23,415 more per year on average
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.3%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 76°F vs 83°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $962,300
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (2775.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $2,132/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
11% lower
276.6 vs 311.2 per 100k
Garden Grove
Median Home Value
$260k less
$702,600 vs $962,300
Garden Grove
Summer Heat
6.9°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 75.6°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Torrance
Median Income
$23,415
$109,554 vs $86,139/yr
Torrance
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.3% vs 5.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Torrance, 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 ✓ Lower | $962,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,132⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 | $109,554 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 27.8 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 15.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 102⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 82 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 132⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 25.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 52.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 95.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Torrance Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 66.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 75.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 13.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 145,454 |
| Median Age | 39.2 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 54.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 14.3% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Torrance's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 11 of 21 categories. Garden Grove wins 11 and Torrance 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 Torrance or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $962,300 median home), income ($86,139 vs $109,554), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Torrance, CA are about 23 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.