Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Yuma, AZ
🏆 Yuma leads 13 of 22 categories
Garden Grove
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Yuma
Arizona
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,312
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
96,314
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Households earn $26,827 more per year on average
35% less violent crime than Yuma
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (5.8%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 107°F
More college-educated — 23.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Yuma
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Yuma, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $516k less ($186,500 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $859/mo less ($1,028 vs $1,887)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.4)
Smaller class sizes — 19.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Garden Grove by $26,827/yr
Higher unemployment (7.7% vs 5.8%)
Hot summers — July highs average 107°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$26,827
$86,139 vs $59,312/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
35% lower
276.6 vs 423.6 per 100k
Garden Grove
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
5.8% vs 7.7% unemployment
Yuma
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Yuma
Median Home Value
$516k less
$186,500 vs $702,600
Yuma
Summer Heat
24.2°F warmer
July avg high 106.7°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Yuma, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $186,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,028 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $59,312 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 17.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C- (70) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 19.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 20.3% |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 83.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | Yuma Elementary District (4499) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 106.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" | 3.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 96,314 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 32.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 64.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Yuma's 93.4 (US average = 100).
Yuma is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Yuma leads 13 of 22 categories. Garden Grove wins 9 and Yuma wins 13. 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 Yuma or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $186,500 median home), income ($86,139 vs $59,312), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Yuma, AZ are about 217 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.