Santa Barbara vs Santa Maria
Which is the better fit for you?
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Santa Barbara receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
If you are moving
What the difference in prices, rent, homes and weather comes to, using the published figures for the two places. Add your income to see what it would take to keep pace.
Moving from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria
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These are differences between published figures, not a forecast of your budget. Income and sales taxes, commuting, schools, insurance and the job you would actually get are not in them, and a price index describes a metropolitan area, so two places in one metro read the same. HUD’s rent is a benchmark for a new lease, not a listing.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Santa Barbara | Santa Maria | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 87,779 | 110,462 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $106,182 — more favorable | $84,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $65,452 — more favorable | $27,440 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,504/sq mi | 4,843/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,570,800 | $531,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,413 | $1,925 — more favorable | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Market rent, two bedroom | $3,124 | $3,124 | FY2026 |
| Cost of living index | 113.7 | 113.7 | 2023 |
| Homeownership rate | 39.9% | 50.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% — more favorable | 5.2% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | −1.0% | −1.0% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.9% — more favorable | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% — more favorable | 17.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 62 | 387 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 3.5 — more favorable | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | +87.9% | −21.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 17.3" | 13.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 54 mi | 2 mi — more favorable | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.6 min — more favorable | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.7 | 29.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.0 — more favorable | 21.8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 39.1% — more favorable | 26.2% | 2018-19 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 50.6% — more favorable | 39.0% | 2018-19 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.3% | 87.2% | 2024-25 school 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.
The number of units permitted is not marked because the larger place always permits more; the per-resident rate is the fair comparison. The year-over-year change is not marked either: a percentage on fewer than 300 units swings on a handful of permits.
Physical risk tradeoff
Santa Barbara
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
Santa Maria
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.
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Santa Barbara, CA · Santa Maria, CA · How this is calculated: methodology