Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Tempe, AZ
🏆 Tempe leads 13 of 22 categories
Orange
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
Tempe
Arizona
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,022
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
181,005 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $37,313 more per year on average
52% less violent crime than Tempe
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.7%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 106°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Tempe
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Tempe, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $466k less ($382,100 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $676/mo less ($1,472 vs $2,148)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 48.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $37,313/yr
Violent crime (470.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2893.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$37,313
$109,335 vs $72,022/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
52% lower
226.1 vs 470.3 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.7% unemployment
Tempe
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 99.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Tempe
Median Home Value
$466k less
$382,100 vs $848,200
Tempe
Summer Heat
23.4°F warmer
July avg high 105.9°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Tempe, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 99.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $382,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $1,472⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $72,022 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 21.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% | 16.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% | 48.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% | 93.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Tempe School District (4258) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 105.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" | 8.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 181,005 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 29.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 40.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% ✓ More | 14.4% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Tempe's 99.9 (US average = 100).
Tempe is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Tempe leads 13 of 22 categories. Orange wins 9 and Tempe wins 13. 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 Tempe or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $382,100 median home), income ($109,335 vs $72,022), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Tempe, AZ are about 342 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.