Between the two cities, Anaheim is the better place. Anaheim may be costly, but it has excellent schools and an unemployment rate lower than the national average. The downfall of Baton Rouge is in its poverty rate, which is higher than the national average.
It is natural for Anaheim also to have downfalls. Not everything in Anaheim is roses and rainbows.
For example, the housing costs in Anaheim are sky-high and can cripple your bank account if you’re not ready.
On the other hand, Baton Rouge is cheaper compared to Anaheim.
Both cities have great schools.
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What are the pros and cons of Anaheim vs. Baton Rouge?
Aside from Disneyland, Anaheim has better schools and a healthier job market with an unemployment rate of 3.7%. It is a livable city with a score of 66/100. The crimes are also lower.
We all know of Anaheim as the home of Disneyland. It is the happiest place on earth that made the city famous.
But Anaheim is more than just Disneyland.
Aside from the theme park, the city provides an excellent quality of education to its residents. Thanks to the theme park and the tourism industry, it also has a healthy job market. Finally, its neighborhoods are beautiful.
But aside from the pros, there are downfalls. One of these concerns is overcrowding.
Aside from that, there is also a concern about the city’s crime rates.
On the other hand, Baton Rouge also has excellent schools. It is more affordable than Anaheim. But the city’s poverty rate is increasing.
Despite these, both are great cities.
Read on and find out more.
Anaheim Living
From the schools to its beautiful neighborhoods, there are many things you can love in Anaheim.
Pros
There are many things you will love in Anaheim. Here they are.
- Beautiful Anaheim Neighborhoods
- The Schools
- A Healthy Job Market
In Anaheim, the communities and residential neighborhoods are beautiful.
These planned communities cover the areas of Anaheim Hills and Santa Ana. Compared to the Downtown Anaheim area, these areas within Anaheim Hills and Santa Ana entertain their residents with panoramic views of the city and the hills. They are quiet and secluded.
You head downtown if you want to go to the city’s government entities. It is in Downtown Anaheim that you will find the Colonial District.
In this part of the city, you will find the Police Headquarters, the City Hall, and the city’s library.
Anaheim is beautiful whether you go to the posh neighborhoods or head downtown.
Anaheim is home to a horde of different elementary, Junior High, High Schools, and Universities. The city even has educational institutions for alternative education.
As of this writing, the city has eight public school districts.
These eight public school districts have more than 70 public schools. 47 of these 74 are elementary schools. There are nine Junior High Schools, 14 High Schools, and six schools for alternative education.
Notable institutions like Acaciawood Preparatory Academy and Cornelia Connelly High School call Anaheim home.
Also, there are a couple of private universities in Anaheim. First is Anaheim University. The other is the Southern California Institute of Technology.
The unemployment rate of Anaheim as of December 2021 was 3.7%. It is slightly lower than the national average of 3.9% (December 2021).
Much of the city’s healthy employment success is thanks to the tourism industry. Also, Disneyland and its partnered businesses employ more than 20,000 per year.
Aside from Disneyland, other companies call Anaheim home.
One of these is AT&T, Hewlett Packard, Isuzu, and Sunny Delight.
The Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, Extron Electronics, and Honda Center are other companies.
Cons
Not everything in Anaheim is rosy. It also has a few problems that its residents have to deal with.
Here they are.
- The Traffic
- Speak Spanish
- Baton Rouge Living
Anaheim is a tourist destination. Orange County, the county where Anaheim belongs, is the sixth most populated county in the US.
As such, Anaheim can sometimes be overwhelmingly overcrowded.
The overcrowded state can result in more demands for basic needs than the supply. Also, such overcrowding can result in heavy traffic.
The city is an entertainment Mecca.
The heavy traffic is normal.
When moving here, be sure to be patient, especially with drivers that are from out of town. The heavy traffic is primarily due to these drivers looking for hotels or driving to tourist spots.
If commuting to work or school, make sure to allow more than enough time for yourself.
Many of the city’s residents are native Spanish speakers.
When moving to Anaheim, make sure to learn a bit of Spanish or two. It would be helpful.
Living in Baton Rouge comes with many advantages like a low cost of living and good quality of education. The city also got a more livable score than other major cities in the area.
On the other hand, you could expect high crime rates here.
Pros
Here are a few advantages of living in Baton Rouge.
- The Cost of Living
- A Livable City
- Education
It is natural for you to look for a more affordable city before moving to a new place.
And yes, the cost of living is a significant factor when choosing.
The cost of living in Baton Rouge is lower than the US national average. It is also lower than most cities in the state.
Some areas of Baton Rouge can be higher than others. But in general, the overall cost of living is affordable.
This aspect covers housing costs, grocery items, and utilities. It also includes your fee in transportation, healthcare, and other miscellaneous goods and services.
The livability score of this city is higher than the average.
The rating is the overall impression of the city’s data that determines the quality of life of its residents.
It also considers factors like education, cost of living, and the overall happiness of its residents.
As of this writing, the livability score of Baton Rouge is 67/100.
Overall, the city’s quality of education is good. It also ranks high on national levels compared to other cities.
The ranking and determination of levels consider graduation rates, enrollment rates, and teacher-to-student ratios.
It also considers student and parent reviews.
Overall, the city of Baton Rouge has better scores, indicating a high quality of education.
Cons
Naturally, there are downsides to Baton Rouge that you should know.
Here are a few of them.
- Crime Rates
In Baton Rouge, the crime rates are higher compared to its neighbors.
About 50% of the city’s population thinks about crime and safety each day.
If you plan to move to Baton Rouge, the crime rates may be a concern that you must consider.
Poverty Rates
By the end of 2021, the poverty rate in Baton Rouge will stand at 24.75%. This number is relatively higher considering the poverty rate of the US by the end of 2021 was only at 14.3%
The number is higher. And this can give the city a domino effect, impacting crimes, education, and a lot more.
Baton Rouge or Anaheim – Which is cheaper?
Baton Rouge is cheaper than Anaheim regarding the overall cost of living. Anaheim is 52.2% more expensive than the US average, while Baton Rouge is 9.6% more affordable than the national average.
| Living Expenses | Anaheim | Baton Rouge |
| Housing | 257.1 | 71 |
| Food & Groceries | 102.5 | 95.3 |
| Health | 95.9 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 97.4 | 88.8 |
| Transportation | 118 | 111.4 |
Data is based on 100 = US National Average
>100 means more than the national average
<100 means cheaper than the national average
Housing/Rent
Let us first start with housing and rental costs.
One of the most significant differences between the two is the cost of housing and rent.
Baton Rouge, for starters, has housing costs that are lower than the national average. On the other end of the line, housing in Anaheim is way higher than the national average.
If you look at the variance, the difference is so vast.
As of this writing, the difference between the two cities in housing costs is at 186.1%, with Baton Rouge having the more affordable options.
Utility Costs
Anaheim is still more expensive than Baton Rouge regarding utility costs.
As of this writing, Anaheim’s utility costs are cheaper than the national average by 2.6%.
On the other hand, Baton Rouge has utility costs that are 11.2% lesser than the national average. This data makes Baton Rouge more affordable in utility costs.
Talking of utility costs, we mean the costs of electricity, heating, garbage disposal, and the like.
And these are essential costs that should always be part of your budget.
Baton Rouge is much cheaper than Anaheim in this aspect.
Food and Groceries
Food and groceries can make or break your monthly budget.
For starters, both cities are expensive for food and groceries. But no matter how expensive Anaheim’s food and grocery costs are more than the national average.
The exact costs in Baton Rouge are lower than the national average.
Anaheim is more expensive than the national average by 2.5% for food and groceries. On the other hand, Baton Rouge is more affordable than the national average by 4.7%.
When it comes to food and groceries, Baton Rouge is cheaper.
Transportation Costs
Both cities are more expensive than the national average regarding transportation costs.
Anaheim, however, is more expensive compared to Baton Rouge.
Baton Rouge is only 11.4% more expensive than the national average. On the other hand, Anaheim is 18% more expensive than the US average.
The difference is glaring.
And this part of your budget is essential because this part of the budget ensures you get to work or school on time.
Healthcare
Anaheim is cheaper than Baton Rouge when it comes to the cost of healthcare.
This part is evident when you look at the costs of medicines. The difference is also glaring, especially when you compare fees like a visit to the doc.
Between the two cities, you would most likely spend less in Anaheim.
The cost of healthcare is cheaper in Anaheim than the national average by 4.1%. On the other hand, Baton Rouge is more affordable than the national average by 2.9%.
As you already know, healthcare is an important factor to consider.
It should take center stage when finalizing your budget.
Is Baton Rouge bigger than Anaheim?
In terms of land area, Baton Rouge is bigger than Anaheim. Baton Rouge has a land area of 88.6 square miles. Anaheim’s land area is 50.3 square miles.
The difference between the two cities may be slight. But the big difference is in their respective population sizes.
Baton Rouge will have a population of 746,000 by the end of 2021. On the other hand, Anaheim only has 349,000 residents by the end of 2021.
Baton Rouge has a population density of 2,480 people per square mile. Anaheim’s population density is at 6,949 people per square mile.
Is Baton Rouge safer than Anaheim?
Both cities have high crime rates. But between the two, Baton Rouge has higher numbers. In a nutshell, people in Anaheim feel safer than those in Baton Rouge.
First of all, is the crime index.
At the onset of this discussion, I mentioned that the level of crime rates in Baton Rouge is higher. For example, the overall crime index of Baton Rouge is 67.51%. The crime index for Anaheim is only at 46.76%.
Such a number only implies more crimes in Baton Rouge than in Anaheim.
People in Anaheim feel safer than those that are in Baton Rouge.
You should also note that the crimes increased more in Baton Rouge in the past three years than in Anaheim.
Baton Rouge’s increase was at 76.61%, while for Anaheim, it only saw a rise of 59.72%.
Most crimes in Anaheim are at moderate levels. But if there are crimes in high percentages, these are property crimes like vandalism and theft. Anaheim has its numbers sitting at 61.11%
This number is already a significant percentage by itself. But if you compare it with Baton Rouge’s, the latter is higher with 70.83%.
The same is true with other types of crimes. A different kind of crime is that which has a relation to drug use.
Anaheim is at 69.12% with this type of crime. Baton Rouge, however, is at 80.17%.
Overall, Baton Rouge has higher crime rates than Anaheim.
Is Anaheim better than Baton Rouge?
Anaheim is better than Baton Rouge in many ways. It is more livable than Baton Rouge. Anaheim has better schools. Plus, crimes here are fewer than in Baton Rouge.
When you choose between cities, you always think about your safety. You would also think about what’s in it for your kids.
In Anaheim, your kids are better off being handled in nicer schools. You certainly have a lot of options to choose from.
Plus, with Anaheim getting low crime rates and higher livability scores, what is there not to love here?
True, Baton Rouge is a nice city.
But compared to Anaheim, Baton Rouge is behind.
Even the job market is better in Anaheim.
Anaheim needs to work on its housing costs, which I mentioned is expensive. But aside from its housing costs, there is not much to worry about when you move here.
How about you?
Is Anaheim for you? Or is it Baton Rouge?
Let me know what you think.
