Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
South Gate, CA
🏆 Orange leads 17 of 21 categories
Orange
California
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728 ✓ Larger
South Gate
California
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$67,188
Violent Crime Index
138⚠ High
Population
92,381
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $42,147 more per year on average
57% less violent crime than South Gate
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
South Gate, CA
Pros
Rent averages $748/mo less ($1,400 vs $2,148)
Homes cost $269k less ($578,900 vs $848,200)
Smaller class sizes — 17.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $42,147/yr
Violent crime (525.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (3598.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$42,147
$109,335 vs $67,188/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
57% lower
226.1 vs 525.6 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
4.7% vs 7.9% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
South Gate
Median Home Value
$269k less
$578,900 vs $848,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | South Gate, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $578,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $1,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $67,188 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min ✓ Shorter | 32.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 6.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 171⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | C- (72) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 17.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 11.5% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% ✓ Higher | 58.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Westbrook Academy District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 68.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 82.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 14.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 ✓ Larger | 92,381 |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 44.8% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs South Gate's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Orange leads 17 of 21 categories. Orange wins 17 and South Gate wins 4. 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 South Gate or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $578,900 median home), income ($109,335 vs $67,188), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and South Gate, CA are about 22 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.