Signals
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Maria
Opportunity
58 · Top 46%
vs47 · Bottom 30%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 13%
vs20 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
50 · Bottom 10%
vs49 · Bottom 10%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 8%
vs56 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | University of California-Santa Barbara | Santa Maria | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,121 | 110,462 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,327 | $84,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $17,245 | $27,440 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,324/sq mi | 4,843/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $452,900 | $531,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,526 | $1,925 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 14.7% | 50.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 80.6% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.5% | 17.3% | 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 | 17.3" | 13.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.8 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 20.0 | 29.3 | 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.
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.
University of California-Santa Barbara
54
Your Score
—
Area Score
Santa Maria
58
Your Score
52
Area Score
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Full profiles: University of California-Santa Barbara, CA · Santa Maria, CA · How this is calculated: methodology