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Glendale vs Lakewood

Glendale, California versus Lakewood, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Glendale

Mixed · objective livability46/100

Lakewood

Mixed · objective livability45/100

Glendale and Lakewood score about the same overall (46 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorGlendaleLakewood
Affordability
Median Household Income$81k$113k
Cost of Living$66k$66k
Home Value$992k$695k
Monthly Rent$2k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$4k$3k
Property Tax Rate0.63%0.70%
Income Tax13.30%13.30%
Sales Tax8.85%8.85%
Estimated total tax burden23.92%20.52%
Unemployment8.1%5.7%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)57°F57°F
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F73°F
Annual Precipitation16.7 in12.0 in
Annual Snowfall0.0 in0.0 in
Sunny Days328 days277 days
Summer Humidity42°F55°F
Comfortable Days253 days313 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk89.972.1
Air Quality52 AQI52 AQI
School Quality72.373.4
Violent Crime507/100k790/100k
Property Crime1827/100k2341/100k
Community
Population194,51281,499
Median Age41.138.4
Racial Diversity0.500.74
Male/Female Ratio0.900.96
Political LeaningD+45D+45
White (%)61.5%31.5%
Black (%)1.7%8.5%
Hispanic (%)18.9%35.7%
Asian (%)13.6%18.3%
Other / Multiracial (%)4.3%6.0%
Getting Around
Commute Time28 min30 min
Walkability10.1/208.8/20
Airport Distance20 mi18 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.8%92.8%
Amenities Nearby30.6997.30
Park & Nature AccessGoodLimited

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Glendale or Lakewood more affordable?
Lakewood has the lower cost of living: its index is $66k, compared with Glendale's $66k and Lakewood's $66k. Median rent is $2k in Glendale versus $2k in Lakewood.
Is Glendale or Lakewood safer?
Glendale has the lower violent crime rate. Glendale reports 507/100k and Lakewood reports 790/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Glendale or Lakewood?
The median home value is $992k in Glendale and $695k in Lakewood, so homes are more affordable in Lakewood.
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