Signals
Santa Maria
Eastern Goleta Valley
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 13%
vs20 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
49 · Bottom 10%
vs41 · Bottom 5%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 42%
vs55 · Bottom 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Santa Maria | Eastern Goleta Valley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 110,462 | 28,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,746 | $146,284 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,440 | $72,713 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,843/sq mi | 1,706/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $531,700 | $1,361,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,925 | $2,964 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.2% | 74.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 54.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% | 7.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 73°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.3" | 17.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 50 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 16.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.3 | 45.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.79 | 20.33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 87.2% | 43.1% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Santa Maria
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
Eastern Goleta Valley
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
Your best match
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Santa Maria
58
Your Score
52
Area Score
Eastern Goleta Valley
55
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Santa Maria, CA · Eastern Goleta Valley, CA · How this is calculated: methodology