Garden Grove, CA

Very High · 176

California · Population 170,603 · Updated March 2026

$1,971
Median Rent / Month
$90,166
Median Income
$765,500
Median Home Value
$2,016
Owner Costs / Month

Affordability

How far your income goes in Garden Grove

26.2%
Rent-to-Income Ratio
Moderate
Rent takes 25-35% of median income — moderate affordability.

Tax Burden in California

State-level tax rates that affect your costs

13.3%
Income Tax (Top Rate)
7.25%
State Sales Tax
0.71%
Property Tax Rate

Estimated Annual Costs

$23,652
Annual Rent
$11,992
State Income Taxtop marginal rate
$5,435
Property Tax (est.)

Cost of Living Overview

Garden Grove has a significantly higher cost of living than most US cities, driven largely by premium housing costs. With a cost index of 176 (where 100 equals the national median), Garden Grove residents can expect to pay median rent of $1,971/month while earning a median household income of $90,166/year.

The median home value in Garden Grove, CA is $765,500, with typical monthly owner costs around $2,016 including mortgage, insurance, and taxes. With a rent-to-income ratio of 26.2%, Garden Grove falls within the generally affordable range, though it's approaching the 30% burden threshold.

California's top income tax rate of 13.3% is among the highest in the nation, adding to the overall cost burden. Combined with a 7.25% sales tax rate and 0.71% effective property tax rate, the overall tax environment is a factor in the total cost of living in Garden Grove.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about living costs in Garden Grove

What is the cost of living in Garden Grove, CA?
The cost of living index in Garden Grove, CA is 176 (US average = 100). Median monthly rent is $1,971, median household income is $90,166/year, and the median home value is $765,500.
Is Garden Grove, CA affordable?
No, Garden Grove is more expensive than the national average with a cost index of 176. The rent-to-income ratio is 26.2%—below the 30% threshold considered affordable by HUD.
What is the average rent in Garden Grove, CA?
The median gross rent in Garden Grove, CA is $1,971 per month according to the US Census Bureau ACS 2023 data. Annual rent costs approximately $23,652.
What is the median household income in Garden Grove?
The median household income in Garden Grove, CA is $90,166 per year. This compares to the national median of approximately $80,000.
What are the taxes like in California?
California has a top income tax rate of 13.3%, a sales tax of 7.25%, and an effective property tax rate of 0.71%.

Compare Garden Grove With

Similar-sized cities to compare

All Garden Grove Comparisons

Compare the cost of living in Garden Grove, CA with 299 other major U.S. cities

New York, NY Los Angeles, CA Chicago, IL Houston, TX Phoenix, AZ Philadelphia, PA San Antonio, TX San Diego, CA Dallas, TX San Jose, CA Austin, TX Jacksonville, FL Fort Worth, TX Columbus, OH Charlotte, NC Indianapolis, IN San Francisco, CA Seattle, WA Denver, CO Oklahoma City, OK Nashville, TN El Paso, TX Washington, DC Boston, MA Las Vegas, NV Portland, OR Detroit, MI Memphis, TN Louisville, KY Baltimore, MD Milwaukee, WI Albuquerque, NM Fresno, CA Tucson, AZ Sacramento, CA Kansas City, MO Mesa, AZ Atlanta, GA Omaha, NE Colorado Springs, CO Raleigh, NC Long Beach, CA Virginia Beach, VA Miami, FL Oakland, CA Minneapolis, MN Tulsa, OK Bakersfield, CA Wichita, KS Arlington, TX Tampa, FL Aurora, CO New Orleans, LA Cleveland, OH Honolulu, HI Anaheim, CA Henderson, NV Lexington, KY Stockton, CA Corpus Christi, TX Riverside, CA Orlando, FL Santa Ana, CA Cincinnati, OH Irvine, CA St. Paul, MN Newark, NJ Pittsburgh, PA Greensboro, NC St. Louis, MO Lincoln, NE Jersey City, NJ Anchorage, AK Durham, NC Plano, TX Chandler, AZ Buffalo, NY Madison, WI Chula Vista, CA Gilbert, AZ North Las Vegas, NV Reno, NV Toledo, OH Fort Wayne, IN Lubbock, TX St. Petersburg, FL Laredo, TX Irving, TX Chesapeake, VA Winston-Salem, NC Glendale, AZ Garland, TX Scottsdale, AZ Boise, ID Arlington, VA Norfolk, VA Enterprise, NV Spokane, WA Santa Clarita, CA Fremont, CA Richmond, VA Baton Rouge, LA Hialeah, FL San Bernardino, CA Tacoma, WA Port St. Lucie, FL Spring Valley, NV Huntsville, AL Modesto, CA Des Moines, IA Fontana, CA Moreno Valley, CA Frisco, TX Rochester, NY Fayetteville, NC Yonkers, NY Cape Coral, FL Worcester, MA Columbus, GA Salt Lake City, UT Little Rock, AR McKinney, TX Augusta, GA Oxnard, CA Amarillo, TX Tallahassee, FL Birmingham, AL Sunrise Manor, NV Grand Prairie, TX Montgomery, AL Grand Rapids, MI Sioux Falls, SD Overland Park, KS Huntington Beach, CA Peoria, AZ Knoxville, TN Vancouver, WA Glendale, CA Providence, RI Akron, OH Brownsville, TX Tempe, AZ Paradise, NV Mobile, AL Newport News, VA Shreveport, LA Fort Lauderdale, FL Chattanooga, TN Aurora, IL Ontario, CA Eugene, OR Elk Grove, CA Santa Rosa, CA Cary, NC Salem, OR Rancho Cucamonga, CA Oceanside, CA Clarksville, TN Pembroke Pines, FL Lancaster, CA Fort Collins, CO Springfield, MO Palmdale, CA Salinas, CA Hayward, CA Corona, CA Paterson, NJ Murfreesboro, TN Alexandria, VA Macon, GA Lakewood, CO Killeen, TX Kansas City, KS Springfield, MA Sunnyvale, CA Hollywood, FL Roseville, CA Charleston, SC Bellevue, WA Escondido, CA Jackson, MS Joliet, IL Surprise, AZ Naperville, IL Pasadena, TX Mesquite, TX Pomona, CA Bridgeport, CT Rockford, IL Savannah, GA Denton, TX Syracuse, NY McAllen, TX Olathe, KS Gainesville, FL Torrance, CA Thornton, CO Visalia, CA Waco, TX Fullerton, CA Metairie, LA Orange, CA Warren, MI Columbia, SC West Valley City, UT Hampton, VA Cedar Rapids, IA Dayton, OH Pasadena, CA Miramar, FL Victorville, CA Elizabeth, NJ Stamford, CT Kent, WA Midland, TX Coral Springs, FL Sterling Heights, MI New Haven, CT Carrollton, TX Santa Clara, CA Fargo, ND Norman, OK Lewisville, TX Lehigh Acres, FL Columbia, MO Abilene, TX Athens, GA Topeka, KS Pearland, TX Simi Valley, CA Thousand Oaks, CA Allentown, PA Palm Bay, FL Meridian, ID Vallejo, CA Round Rock, TX Concord, CA Arvada, CO Clovis, CA College Station, TX Independence, MO Rochester, MN Lafayette, LA Ann Arbor, MI Berkeley, CA Fairfield, CA Hartford, CT West Palm Beach, FL Spring Hill, FL Wilmington, NC Billings, MT Richardson, TX Cambridge, MA North Charleston, SC Clearwater, FL Lakeland, FL The Woodlands, TX Evansville, IN Brandon, FL West Jordan, UT Broken Arrow, OK Antioch, CA Westminster, CO Manchester, NH Richmond, CA High Point, NC League City, TX Lowell, MA East Los Angeles, CA Carlsbad, CA Waterbury, CT Provo, UT Elgin, IL Odessa, TX Springfield, IL Beaumont, TX Gresham, OR Las Cruces, NM Lansing, MI Pompano Beach, FL Peoria, IL Downey, CA Murrieta, CA Pueblo, CO Miami Gardens, FL Everett, WA Costa Mesa, CA Temecula, CA Ventura, CA Santa Maria, CA Sugar Land, TX Greeley, CO South Fulton, GA Sparks, NV Dearborn, MI Riverview, FL Tyler, TX Tuscaloosa, AL Allen, TX