City comparison
No. Anaheim's crime index is 143 versus 158 in Los Angeles, and its violent crime index is 165 versus 202, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Los Angeles is cheaper. Median rent is $1,933 a month versus $2,175 in Anaheim.
The income gap between Los Angeles and Anaheim is significant: $81,939 median household versus $95,227. That spread matters more if you are job hunting locally than if you are remote. Typical rent is $1,933 in Los Angeles and $2,175 in Anaheim.
This is a genuine split. Los Angeles wins on cost of living and Anaheim wins on the job market and safety. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
Visit both if you can. Cities reveal themselves in the ordinary moments, a Tuesday morning commute, a Saturday errand run, not on a weekend visit.
The move
Los Angeles and Anaheim are 24 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,933 a month in Los Angeles to $2,175 a month in Anaheim, up $242 a month (13%).
Median household income goes from $81,939 in Los Angeles to $95,227 in Anaheim, up $13,288 (16%).
The crime index goes from 158 in Los Angeles to 143 in Anaheim, down 15 points (9%).
The move
Anaheim and Los Angeles are 24 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $2,175 a month in Anaheim to $1,933 a month in Los Angeles, down $242 a month (11%).
Median household income goes from $95,227 in Anaheim to $81,939 in Los Angeles, down $13,288 (14%).
The crime index goes from 143 in Anaheim to 158 in Los Angeles, up 15 points (10%).
Los Angeles, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Anaheim, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Los Angeles and Anaheim? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
11% cheaper
Los Angeles rent is 11% cheaper than Anaheim
Los Angeles
Winner$1,933/mo
Anaheim
$2,175/mo
Typical rent runs $1,933 a month in Los Angeles versus $2,175 in Anaheim, so Los Angeles is 11% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,904, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Los Angeles still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Anaheim.
Planning to buy in Anaheim? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
16% higher
Anaheim's median income is 16% higher than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
$81,939
Anaheim
Winner$95,227
Median household income is $95,227 in Anaheim versus $81,939 in Los Angeles, so typical pay runs 16% higher in Anaheim (about $13,288 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Anaheim is the stronger labor market on paper. Los Angeles can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
9% lower crime
Anaheim's crime index is 9% lower than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
158 (100 = avg)
Anaheim
Winner143 (100 = avg)
Anaheim's crime index is 143 versus 158 in Los Angeles (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 9% lower in Anaheim. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Anaheim, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Los Angeles. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Los Angeles and Anaheim are about even on typical weather.
Los Angeles
77°F avg · 83°F highs · comfort 100/100
Anaheim
76°F avg · 83°F highs · comfort 100/100
Los Angeles averages about 77°F (83°F highs); Anaheim averages about 76°F (83°F highs). Los Angeles sits near 77°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Anaheim sits near 76°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 11% cheaper here at about $1,933 a month. Choose Los Angeles if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Anaheim is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 16% higher here ($95,227). Start with Anaheim if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Anaheim is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 9% lower than Los Angeles (143 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
Housing separates these metros first: $1,933/month in Los Angeles versus $2,175 in Anaheim. Median income reads $81,939 in Los Angeles and $95,227 in Anaheim, which matters when you stack rent against take-home pay.
Los Angeles rent at $1,933/month is still below Anaheim's $2,175, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Safety scores read 46/100 in Los Angeles and 49/100 in Anaheim.
Los Angeles clears the bar on housing cost in this dataset. Anaheim deserves a serious look only when your $95,227 income offer in Anaheim outweighs saving $242/month in Los Angeles.
Common questions
Ready to move to Anaheim?
Next steps
Quotes and listings for Anaheim when you're ready to act.
Keep researching
Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Los Angeles and Anaheim, plus other cities in CA.
