Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Redding, CA
🏆 Orange leads 13 of 23 categories
Orange
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728 ✓ Larger
Redding
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,323
Violent Crime Index
170⚠ High
Population
93,327
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $42,012 more per year on average
65% less violent crime than Redding
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 100°F
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 13% higher than Redding
Redding, CA
Pros
Homes cost $505k less ($343,000 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $870/mo less ($1,278 vs $2,148)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Smaller class sizes — 20.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $42,012/yr
Violent crime (647.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.9% vs 4.7%)
Hot summers — July highs average 100°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$42,012
$109,335 vs $67,323/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
65% lower
226.1 vs 647.8 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.9% unemployment
Redding
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 102.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Redding
Median Home Value
$505k less
$343,000 vs $848,200
Redding
Summer Heat
17.4°F warmer
July avg high 99.9°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Redding, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 102.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $343,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $1,278 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $67,323 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 16.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 6.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 136⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 170⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 83 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | C (77) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 20.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 26.4% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% | 92.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Redding Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 57.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 99.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 41.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 ✓ Larger | 93,327 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 38.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 54.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 22.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Redding's 102.8 (US average = 100).
Redding is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Orange leads 13 of 23 categories. Orange wins 13 and Redding wins 10. 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 Redding or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $343,000 median home), income ($109,335 vs $67,323), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Redding, CA are about 530 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.