Signals
University of California-Santa Barbara
Ashland
Opportunity
58 · Top 46%
vs56 · Bottom 49%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs71 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 13%
vs25 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
50 · Bottom 10%
vs43 · Bottom 6%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 8%
vs43 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | University of California-Santa Barbara | Ashland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,121 | 21,259 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,327 | $68,028 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $17,245 | $50,414 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,324/sq mi | 3,204/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $452,900 | $583,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,526 | $1,387 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 14.7% | 51.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 6.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 80.6% | 66.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.5% | 15.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 73°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 17.3" | 18.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.8 min | 17.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 20.0 | 47.7 | 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
University of California-Santa Barbara
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
Ashland
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
University of California-Santa Barbara
54
Your Score
—
Area Score
Ashland
53
Your Score
50
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: University of California-Santa Barbara, CA · Ashland, OR · How this is calculated: methodology