Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garland, TX
VS
Ontario, CA
🏆 Garland leads 18 of 23 categories
Garland
Texas
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,044
Violent Crime Index
61 ✓ Safer
Population
244,026 ✓ Larger
Ontario
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,070 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
176,326
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garland, TX
Pros
Homes cost $284k less ($229,000 vs $513,000)
15% less violent crime than Ontario
Rent averages $405/mo less ($1,421 vs $1,826)
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.2%)
More college-educated — 24.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Ontario by $7,026/yr
Ontario, CA
Pros
Households earn $7,026 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 56°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $513,000
Higher rents — median is $1,826/mo
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
Violent Crime
15% lower
232.7 vs 272.2 per 100k
Garland
Median Home Value
$284k less
$229,000 vs $513,000
Garland
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.2% vs 5.8% unemployment
Ontario
Median Income
$7,026
$78,070 vs $71,044/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garland, TX | Ontario, 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 | $513,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,421⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,826⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,044 | $78,070 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.4% ✓ Higher | 6.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 87 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) ✓ Better | C- (65) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.1% ✓ Higher | 19.2% |
| High School or Higher | 78.6% ✓ Higher | 76.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | GARLAND ISD | Ontario-Montclair |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 67.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer | 93.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" | 11.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 244,026 ✓ Larger | 176,326 |
| Median Age | 34.4 ✓ Older | 32.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.0% ✓ Higher | 55.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% ✓ More | 24.9% |
| Over 65 | 12.4% ✓ More | 10.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garland's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Ontario's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Garland is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garland leads 18 of 23 categories. Garland wins 18 and Ontario wins 5. 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 Ontario or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($229,000 vs $513,000 median home), income ($71,044 vs $78,070), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garland, TX and Ontario, CA are about 1,209 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.