Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Berkeley, CA
VS
Santa Clarita, CA
🏆 Santa Clarita leads 13 of 22 categories
Berkeley
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,716
Violent Crime Index
168⚠ High
Population
121,385
Santa Clarita
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$116,186 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
225,850 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Berkeley, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 73.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Rent averages $248/mo less ($2,067 vs $2,315)
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 19.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,280,300
Violent crime (638.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Property crime (5229.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Santa Clarita, CA
Pros
Homes cost $611k less ($669,200 vs $1,280,300)
74% less violent crime than Berkeley
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.4 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $11,470 more per year on average
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Berkeley
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher rents — median is $2,315/mo
Longer commutes — 35.2 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clarita
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 115.5 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Santa Clarita
Median Income
$11,470
$116,186 vs $104,716/yr
Santa Clarita
Violent Crime
74% lower
165.4 vs 638.8 per 100k
Santa Clarita
Median Home Value
$611k less
$669,200 vs $1,280,300
Santa Clarita
Summer Heat
20.0°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Berkeley, CA | Santa Clarita, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,280,300⚠ High | $669,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,067⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,315⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,716 | $116,186 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 35.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 13.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 200⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 168⚠ High | 44 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 249⚠ High | 56 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 26.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.8% ✓ Higher | 38.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.1% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Berkeley Unified | Saugus Union |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.9°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.1" | 15.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,385 | 225,850 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.5 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.3% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% ✓ More | 12.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Berkeley's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Santa Clarita's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Santa Clarita is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Santa Clarita leads 13 of 22 categories. Berkeley wins 9 and Santa Clarita wins 13. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Berkeley to Santa Clarita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,280,300 vs $669,200 median home), income ($104,716 vs $116,186), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Berkeley, CA and Santa Clarita, CA are about 319 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.