Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Providence, RI
🏆 Orange leads 15 of 23 categories
Orange
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
Providence
Rhode Island
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$61,365
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
189,715 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $47,970 more per year on average
18% less violent crime than Providence
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (4.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 38°F
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Providence
Providence, RI
Pros
Homes cost $555k less ($293,000 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $934/mo less ($1,214 vs $2,148)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Smaller class sizes — 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $47,970/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$47,970
$109,335 vs $61,365/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
18% lower
226.1 vs 276.7 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
4.7% vs 7.2% unemployment
Providence
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Providence
Median Home Value
$555k less
$293,000 vs $848,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Providence, RI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $293,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $1,214 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $61,365 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 24.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 11.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 75 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 73 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 34.5% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% ✓ Higher | 82.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Providence |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 38.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 83.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 47.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 36.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 189,715 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 32.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 20.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Providence's 100.9 (US average = 100).
Providence is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Orange leads 15 of 23 categories. Orange wins 15 and Providence wins 8. 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 Orange to Providence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $293,000 median home), income ($109,335 vs $61,365), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Providence, RI are about 2,563 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.