Santa Maria is a small town of 587 in Texas, with a median household income of $30,156
.
Its cost of living index is 85 (US average = 100), which is
15% below the national average.
Strengths:
Santa Maria stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Santa Maria is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Santa Maria city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 85.2
Santa Maria's overall cost of living index is 85.2,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Santa Maria costs roughly 15% less than the average American city.
Metric
Santa Maria, TX
National Avg
Median Home Value
$34,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
N/A
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
88.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$30,156
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Santa Maria's violent crime rate is 353.5 per 100,000 residents
— 7% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
353.5 /100k
Property Crime
1824.6 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Santa Maria is served primarily by SANTA MARIA ISD.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 9.5:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Santa Maria, TX
National Avg
School District
SANTA MARIA ISD
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
9.5:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
1.7%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
37.8%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Santa Maria sees average highs of 71.3°F in January
and 95.7°F in July,
with 25.8 inches of annual precipitation
and 0.2 inches of snow per year.
Santa Maria's cost of living index is 85, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Santa Maria roughly 15% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $34,800 and median rent is N/A/month.
Santa Maria's violent crime rate is 353.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1824.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Santa Maria are operated by SANTA MARIA ISD.
The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 9.5:1. 1.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Santa Maria, TX has a population of 587, a median household income of $30,156, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Santa Maria averages 71.3°F in January and 95.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 25.8 inches
with about 0.2 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Santa Maria, Texas is 587 with a median age of 48.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Santa Maria: cost of living index 85 (100 = US average), median home $34,800, median household income $30,156, crime index 91 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Santa Maria side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.