City comparison
No. Gilbert's crime index is 47 versus 158 in Los Angeles, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 202, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Los Angeles is cheaper. Median rent is $1,933 a month versus $2,110 in Gilbert.
Safety is where Los Angeles and Gilbert split most clearly. Gilbert scores 111 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,933 in Los Angeles and $2,110 in Gilbert.
This is a genuine split. Los Angeles wins on cost of living and Gilbert 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.
The crime gap is citywide. Gilbert has rougher pockets and Los Angeles has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Los Angeles and Gilbert are 374 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,933 a month in Los Angeles to $2,110 a month in Gilbert, up $177 a month (9%).
Median household income goes from $81,939 in Los Angeles to $122,551 in Gilbert, up $40,612 (50%).
The crime index goes from 158 in Los Angeles to 47 in Gilbert, down 111 points (70%).
The move
Gilbert and Los Angeles are 374 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $2,110 a month in Gilbert to $1,933 a month in Los Angeles, down $177 a month (8%).
Median household income goes from $122,551 in Gilbert to $81,939 in Los Angeles, down $40,612 (33%).
The crime index goes from 47 in Gilbert to 158 in Los Angeles, up 111 points (236%).
Los Angeles, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Gilbert, AZ
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Los Angeles and Gilbert? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
8% cheaper
Los Angeles rent is 8% cheaper than Gilbert
Los Angeles
Winner$1,933/mo
Gilbert
$2,110/mo
Typical rent runs $1,933 a month in Los Angeles versus $2,110 in Gilbert, so Los Angeles is 8% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $177, or $2,124 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Gilbert? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
50% higher
Gilbert's median income is 50% higher than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
$81,939
Gilbert
Winner$122,551
Median household income is $122,551 in Gilbert versus $81,939 in Los Angeles, so typical pay runs 50% higher in Gilbert (about $40,612 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, Gilbert 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
70% lower crime
Gilbert's crime index is 70% lower than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
158 (100 = avg)
Gilbert
Winner47 (100 = avg)
Gilbert's crime index is 47 versus 158 in Los Angeles (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 70% lower in Gilbert. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Gilbert is the easier city. Los Angeles can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Los Angeles and Gilbert are about even on typical weather.
Los Angeles
77°F avg · 83°F highs · comfort 100/100
Gilbert
80°F avg · 87°F highs · comfort 100/100
Los Angeles averages about 77°F (83°F highs); Gilbert averages about 80°F (87°F highs). Los Angeles sits near 77°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Gilbert sits near 80°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 8% 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
Gilbert is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 50% higher here ($122,551). Start with Gilbert if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Gilbert is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 70% lower than Los Angeles (47 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
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Gilbert leads on safety (83/100 vs 46/100 in Los Angeles). Typical rent is $2,110 in Gilbert and $1,933 in Los Angeles; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Los Angeles rent at $1,933/month is still below Gilbert's $2,110, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,933 in Los Angeles and $2,110 in Gilbert.
Between Los Angeles and Gilbert, Gilbert is ahead on safety — 83/100 safety versus 46/100. Lean Los Angeles instead when you already know the Los Angeles block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
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