Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Santa Maria, CA
🏆 College Station leads 15 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451 ✓ Larger
Santa Maria
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$81,237 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
109,543
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
74% less violent crime than Santa Maria
Rent averages $639/mo less ($1,129 vs $1,768)
Homes cost $132k less ($305,800 vs $438,100)
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Maria
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Santa Maria by $28,840/yr
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Households earn $28,840 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 95°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,768/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $438,100
Violent crime (660.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 23% higher than College Station
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Violent Crime
74% lower
170.5 vs 660.6 per 100k
College Station
Median Home Value
$132k less
$305,800 vs $438,100
College Station
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.3% unemployment
College Station
Summer Heat
22.1°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 73.3°F
Santa Maria
Median Income
$28,840
$81,237 vs $52,397/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Santa Maria, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $438,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $1,768⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $81,237 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 22.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 140⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 174⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 14.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Santa Maria-Bonita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 64.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 13.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 ✓ Larger | 109,543 |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 29.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 51.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 10.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Santa Maria's 113.5 (US average = 100).
College Station is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, College Station leads 15 of 22 categories. College Station wins 15 and Santa Maria wins 7. 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 College Station to Santa Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $438,100 median home), income ($52,397 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Santa Maria, CA are about 1,431 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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