Santa Maria-Santa Barbara receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Salinas
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 32%
vs62 · Top 35%
Growth
48 · Bottom 47%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
89 · Top 1%
vs89 · Top 1%
Physical resilience
10 · Bottom 3%
vs19 · Bottom 8%
Housing affordability
44 · Bottom 1%
vs42 · Bottom 1%
Access
47 · Bottom 10%
vs81 · Top 41%
Economic stability
58 · Top 41%
vs61 · Top 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Salinas | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 437,613 | 443,701 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,230 | $98,161 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,422 | $48,028 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 133/sq mi | 162/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $781,000 | $790,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,055 | $2,131 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.1% | 52.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.2% | 36.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 14.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 891 | 1,613 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 3.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 48.0% | 93.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 71°F | 71°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.6" | 19.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 85 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 22.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 34.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Salinas
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, wildfire.
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Salinas
49
Your Score
46
Area Score
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
59
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Salinas, CA Metro Area · Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology