Between Anaheim and Stockton, you should be better off in Anaheim. Anaheim may be costly compared to Stockton, but it has lower crime rates. Plus, the city is a hub of fantastic dining and entertainment options. And I’m not even talking about Disneyland yet!
On the other hand, Stockton is more affordable than most CA cities. But so is Anaheim (except for its housing costs).
The downfall of Stockton, however, is its crime rates. Plus, the income taxes here can be sky-high! You don’t even want to talk about it.
Anyway, we’ll discuss more why Anaheim is way better than Stockton.
If you’re ready, let’s start.
List of Contents
What are the pros and cons of Anaheim vs. Stockton?
Anaheim has excellent entertainment, dining, and shopping options. Although the city is expensive in its housing costs, all others are reasonable. It is more affordable, except for its taxes. Stockton has high crime rates.
Here is where I tell you why Anaheim is much better than Stockton.
First of all, there are many advantages to Stockton. But Anaheim has far better advantages when compared.
In Anaheim, the crime rates are lower. It also presents its residents with a wide array of shopping and dining options. Plus, it has entertainment options like no other.
The housing costs in Anaheim may be costly. But that’s something the employment industry of the city can address.
On the other hand, Stockton’s disadvantages far outweigh its advantages.
The city may be more affordable than other CA cities.
It is also more accessible to San Francisco.
But the income taxes here are higher. And so are the crime rates!
Anaheim Living
Shopping, entertainment, and a low crime rate. What more could you ask for?
Pros
Moving to Anaheim has a lot of advantages. Here are a few of them.
- Entertainment Galore
- Shop Til you Drop!
- Low Crime Rates
Boredom is never a possibility in Anaheim.
We owe this to the city’s wide array of entertainment options. In Anaheim, you do not limit yourself to just Disneyland all year round.
If you are a sports fan, baseball and hockey are popular here—Head over to the Angels Stadium for baseball and the Honda Center for hockey.
Aside from sports, Honda Center also hosts other events like MMA and Pro Wrestling, if you’re up to it. Plus, the venue is also home to concerts the city regularly holds.
So far, Honda Center has already hosted stars like Imagine Dragons, Selena Gomez, and Katy Perry. Maroon 5 and Ariana Grande also held concerts here in the past.
When you live in Anaheim, there is no need for you to head over to Beverly Hills or LA to shop. Because in Anaheim, you get to have several retailers that can cater to a shopaholic you.
A short distance away from Disneyland, there is the Anaheim Garden Walk. This place is a shopping center that has restaurants, entertainment, and of course, retailers.
Bargains are also available at the Outlets of Orange. Here, you will find several discounted items from different retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Adidas, and Nike.
Aside from these two, other notable places to shop are the Center Street Promenade for your artisan goods and the Old Towne Orange Historic District for antique shops.
Anaheim may not be the safest city in America, but it is safer than most.
It has a crime rate index of 53.24%, which is relatively low compared to most cities of CA.
Consider the 100 most populated cities in the country. Out of the hundred, Anaheim ranks 79th in violent crimes.
Naturally, a city would always have a safe and a not-so-safe area.
When in Anaheim, locals consider the northeastern part of the city the safest. The Southeastern and Southwestern parts of the town are a bit more dangerous.
Avoid when you can.
Cons
And now, for the other side of the coin, here are the disadvantages of moving to Anaheim.
- The Cost of Housing
- Commuting
- Stockton Living
Living in California can take the best out of your savings. It is expensive!
It can be cheaper than some CA cities, to be fair with Anaheim. But not with its housing costs.
The cost of housing in Anaheim is beyond 100% more expensive than the national average. And to think, housing and rental costs are essential parts of your budget.
Before moving to Anaheim, you need to consider your housing. Will you be renting? Will you buy your own house?
Whatever your decision is, there is a lot of haggling you need to do for this one. Because again, housing and rental in this city are uber-expensive!
About 76.9% of Anaheim residents drive their cars. Only about 3.4% work from home. The same percentage, 3.4%, also takes public transportation from one place to another.
Anaheim is a car-dependent city.
And because the city is also a tourist-magnet, traffic here can test your patience.
The average commuting time in the US is 26.4 minutes.
In Anaheim, it is 28.5 minutes. That is almost 2 minutes more than the national average.
Living in Stockton comes with many advantages. It is an affordable CA city. It also has excellent weather and presents its residents with many outdoor activities.
The crime rates, however, are high. Plus, should I mention the income taxes?
Pros
Why should you consider moving to Stockton?
Read on.
- An Affordable Cost of Living
- Good Weather
- Outdoor Activities
I said it earlier, and I will repeat it.
California is an expensive state. But it does not mean you should not move here.
There are corners of California that are more affordable than the others.
Stockton is one of them.
The cost of living here is more than the national average. But compared to its neighbors, living in Stockton is cheaper.
Also, Stockton is about 90 minutes away from San Francisco, where living costs are 100% more than the national average.
That means you can choose to live in a more affordable city like Stockton and work in SF.
If there is one thing that is expensive here, it is housing. We’ll touch on that later.
California always has excellent weather. What more could you expect?
When in this state, expect to have sunshine for most of the year.
And like the rest of the state, you can also enjoy loads of sun when you move to Stockton.
There is now snowfall here. During winter, you can only see rainfall.
But for most of the year, the weather in the city is warm.
A word of warning, however: summers can sometimes be harsh here.
And because of its excellent weather, Stockton is an ideal location for your many outdoor activities.
Of course, the city may not be at par with other CA cities like Anaheim. They have Disneyland and loads of other stuff. But Stockton has its array of outdoor activities, too!
The notable places to visit here are the Haggin Museum, Children’s Museum of Stockton, and the Pixie Woods Children Park.
You can also drop by the Historic Bob Hope Theater for its wide variety of events.
And because Stockton has a diverse population, expect to celebrate cultural festivals here. You will never run out of events in Stockton.
Cons
And now, for the other things you need to know, here are the downfalls of living in Stockton.
- The Poverty Rate
- Taxes
Income-wise, Stockton is not the best city there is in the state.
In 2017, the poverty rate was 22.4%.
Over the next few years, there may have been improvements. In 2019, the poverty rate was at 15.4%. By the end of 2021, it was at 17.9%, which equates to 54,000 residents living below the poverty line.
The national poverty rate average sits at 13.4%.
Despite the improvement in numbers, Stockton’s poverty rate still needs improvement.
As everybody should know by now, California takes a big chunk from its residents in the form of taxes.
Residents of the state can pay taxes of as much as 13.3% of their income. But the state average sits at 9.3%
Aside from income taxes, sales tax in Stockton is also high at 9%.
Stockton or Anaheim – Which is cheaper?
Overall, Stockton is more affordable than Anaheim. Stockton is 13.9% more expensive than the national average. On the other hand, Anaheim is 52.2% more expensive than the US average. For both cities, housing costs are the main culprit for the high cost of living.
| Living Expenses | Anaheim | Stockton |
| Housing | 257.1 | 239.1 |
| Food & Groceries | 102.5 | 105.1 |
| Health | 95.9 | 101.8 |
| Utilities | 97.4 | 108.9 |
| Transportation | 118 | 115.5 |
Data is based on 100 = US National Average
>100 means more than the national average
<100 means cheaper than the national average
Housing/Rent
Anaheim has one of the most expensive housings and rental costs in the US. As of this writing, it is 157.1% higher than the national average.
However, it is not only Anaheim that sees this part of the budget to the extremes.
Stockton is also expensive when it comes to housing and rent. However, you should note that Stockton is cheaper than Anaheim in housing costs.
Stockton is 139.1% more expensive than the US national average in housing costs.
Utility Costs
Utility costs are those you can never avoid.
Naturally, you have to use your heater, your air conditioning system, and even have your internet subscription.
In terms of utilities, Anaheim is more affordable than Stockton.
Currently, Anaheim is 2.6% cheaper than the national average. On the other hand, Stockton is more expensive than the national average by 8.9%.
Food and Groceries
Food and groceries take up most of your budget together with your housing costs.
In this aspect, Stockton is more expensive than Anaheim by a mere 2.6%.
Both cities are more expensive than the national average in food and groceries. But because the difference between the two is not that significant, you cannot base your decision to move on a mere 2.6% difference.
It all boils down to your consumption.
But in this part of the budget, Anaheim is cheaper.
Transportation Costs
In this aspect, both Anaheim and Stockton are more expensive than the US national average.
Stockton is 15.5% more expensive than most American cities. On the other hand, Anaheim is 18% more expensive.
The numbers point out that Stockton is cheaper by about 2.5% than Anaheim.
But like food and groceries, the difference is not significant.
It will all again boil down to your consumption.
But for purposes of comparison, Stockton is cheaper.
Healthcare
Healthcare is an essential aspect of your budget.
Comparing the two cities, Anaheim is winning this part.
Anaheim presents a more affordable healthcare option compared to Stockton. As per the numbers, Anaheim is cheaper than the national average by about 4.5%.
However, Stockton is more expensive than the national average by 1.8%.
Such a difference can make or break your decision.
Healthcare matters. And a cheaper healthcare cost can provide you and your family with more leeway for other expenses, especially these days.
Is Stockton bigger than Anaheim?
Stockton is bigger than Anaheim when it comes to land area. Stockton is about 65.2 square miles. Anaheim has a land area of about 50.3 square miles.
Not only is Stockton bigger in land area. It is also bigger when it comes to its population.
The end of 2021 saw Stockton with about 441,000 residents. Anaheim, on the other hand, has only 349,000 residents.
Stockton also has a higher population density than Anaheim, with 5,081 people per square mile. Considering the registered residents of Anaheim, its population density is only 3,832 people per square mile.
However, if you consider the millions of tourists that visit Anaheim every year, it is safe to say that Anaheim is more crowded.
But then again, these are tourists.
Is Stockton safer than Anaheim?
Anaheim has fewer crimes than Stockton. As per the crime index of both cities, Anaheim is at 53.24%, while Stockton is at 78.11%. The higher the crime index, the less safe people feel. Compared to Stockton, Anaheim is safer.
From the crime index alone, it is safe to conclude that Anaheim is safer.
More people from Anaheim feel safer compared to Stockton.
However, it would help not to think of Stockton as a warzone. It is safe. But if you compare it with Anaheim, the latter is safer.
Most of the crimes in Anaheim are at moderate levels. The only type of crime with high incidents is theft of things from a car at 66.67%. Crimes related to drugs are also high here at 69.12%. Vandalism and theft are at 61.1%.
Now, let us compare these types of crimes in Stockton.
Stockton’s crimes related to stealing items from a car are 83.33%. Crimes related to drugs are also at 83.33%, while vandalism and theft are 85%.
Comparing the two cities, Anaheim has fewer instances of crimes than Stockton.
Anaheim is safer.
Is Anaheim better than Stockton?
Anaheim is better than Stockton. True, Stockton is cheaper. But Anaheim has more entertainment options. It is also safer and has poverty rates better than Stockton.
The matter of safety is always an important consideration.
And between the two cities, you would be safer in Anaheim than in Stockton.
Anaheim also has better shopping options. It has more better-paying jobs compared to Stockton, too.
Stockton has to improve a lot when it comes to its poverty rates.
How about you?
Are you for Team Anaheim? Or are you for Team Stockton?
Check what works for you.
