Places › California › Garden Grove

Living in Garden Grove, CA

Suburb in California

Garden Grove is a suburb in California, home to about 171,000 people, with 12.4 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Garden Grove a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 26 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby
  • Easy flying: SNA is 9 mi away
  • Mild summers: highs around 82°F

👎 Cons

  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $981k, and rent is $4,390 a month
  • Few dog parks: 17 within 9 mi
  • Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.64% property tax

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Garden Grove ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
171,000
12.4 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
69°F / 82°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$981k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$4,390/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
114
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,279
State income tax per resident · 0.64% property tax
Safety
0.8× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
7 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
26
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
25%
9 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SNA
9 mi away

Living in Garden Grove: common questions

What is the cost of living in Garden Grove?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $981k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $4,390 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 114, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Garden Grove?

California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.64% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Garden Grove safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.8× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Garden Grove?

Garden Grove is warm all year: winter days average around 69°F and summer days around 82°F.

Does Garden Grove get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.77 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Garden Grove?

The nearest major airport is SNA, about 9 mi away.

How Garden Grove scores

Each bar compares Garden Grove with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Major metro Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Dense & urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Strong culture scene Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Warm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Very fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Poor
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Excellent
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Good
🧸Kids & family Good
🐕Dog-friendly Poor
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Excellent
🛡️Safety Safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Excellent
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

Places like Garden Grove

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.

Nearby

See all the best places to live in California.

Is Garden Grove right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.