Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garland, TX
VS
Hemet, CA
🏆 Garland leads 14 of 23 categories
Garland
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,044 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
61 ✓ Safer
Population
244,026 ✓ Larger
Hemet
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$49,901
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
89,651
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garland, TX
Pros
45% less violent crime than Hemet
Households earn $21,143 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.3 pts lower (5.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $48k less ($229,000 vs $277,200)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Hemet, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 56°F
Cons
Median income trails Garland by $21,143/yr
Higher unemployment (9.5% vs 5.2%)
Longer commutes — 36.8 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Garland
Key Differences at a Glance
Garland
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Garland
Median Income
$21,143
$71,044 vs $49,901/yr
Garland
Violent Crime
45% lower
232.7 vs 424.8 per 100k
Garland
Median Home Value
$48k less
$229,000 vs $277,200
Garland
Unemployment
4.3 pp lower
5.2% vs 9.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garland, TX | Hemet, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $229,000 ✓ Lower | $277,200 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,421⚠ High | $1,357⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,044 ✓ Higher | $49,901 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 36.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.4% ✓ Higher | 7.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 78 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.1% ✓ Higher | 13.9% |
| High School or Higher | 78.6% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | GARLAND ISD | Hemet Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 65.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F | 95.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" | 12.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 244,026 ✓ Larger | 89,651 |
| Median Age | 34.4 | 39.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.0% ✓ Higher | 61.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% ✓ More | 24.1% |
| Over 65 | 12.4% | 22.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garland's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Hemet's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Garland is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garland leads 14 of 23 categories. Garland wins 14 and Hemet wins 9. 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 Garland to Hemet or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($229,000 vs $277,200 median home), income ($71,044 vs $49,901), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garland, TX and Hemet, CA are about 1,175 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.