Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Vacaville, CA
🏆 Vacaville leads 15 of 22 categories
Garden Grove
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Vacaville
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$106,764 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
101,631
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Rent averages $254/mo less ($1,887 vs $2,141)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 95°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 58°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Median income trails Vacaville by $20,625/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Vacaville
Vacaville, CA
Pros
Homes cost $142k less ($560,400 vs $702,600)
Households earn $20,625 more per year on average
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,141/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
6% lower
276.6 vs 293.2 per 100k
Vacaville
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 109.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Vacaville
Median Income
$20,625
$106,764 vs $86,139/yr
Vacaville
Median Home Value
$142k less
$560,400 vs $702,600
Vacaville
Summer Heat
12.5°F warmer
July avg high 95.0°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $560,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,141⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 | $106,764 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 28.9 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 9.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 | 83 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | C+ (89) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 21.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 26.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 91.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Vacaville Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 57.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 24.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 101,631 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 66.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 22.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Vacaville's 109.2 (US average = 100).
Vacaville is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Vacaville leads 15 of 22 categories. Garden Grove wins 7 and Vacaville wins 15. 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 Vacaville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $560,400 median home), income ($86,139 vs $106,764), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Vacaville, CA are about 388 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.