Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Compton, CA
VS
Santa Maria, CA
🏆 Santa Maria leads 14 of 22 categories
Compton
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$69,728
Violent Crime Index
335⚠ High
Population
94,822
Santa Maria
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$81,237 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
109,543 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Compton, CA
Pros
Rent averages $304/mo less ($1,464 vs $1,768)
Cons
Violent crime (1271.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Median income trails Santa Maria by $11,509/yr
Property crime (3145.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
48% less violent crime than Compton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (6.3%)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Households earn $11,509 more per year on average
Homes cost $51k less ($438,100 vs $489,400)
More college-educated — 14.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (660.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,768/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Compton
Summer Heat
3.9°F warmer
July avg high 77.2°F vs 73.3°F
Santa Maria
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 113.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Santa Maria
Median Income
$11,509
$81,237 vs $69,728/yr
Santa Maria
Violent Crime
48% lower
660.6 vs 1271.7 per 100k
Santa Maria
Median Home Value
$51k less
$438,100 vs $489,400
Santa Maria
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
6.3% vs 7.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Compton, CA | Santa Maria, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $489,400⚠ High | $438,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,464⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,768⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $69,728 | $81,237 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.9%⚠ High | 6.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.8 min⚠ High | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 3.3% | 4.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 140⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 335⚠ High | 174⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 150⚠ High | 90 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (77) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 21.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 10.4% | 14.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.8% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Compton Unified | Santa Maria-Bonita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.3°F ✓ Warmer | 64.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 77.2°F ✓ Warmer | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.8" ✓ Drier | 13.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 94,822 | 109,543 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.4 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 51.2% |
| Under 18 | 27.9% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 10.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Compton's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Santa Maria's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Santa Maria is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Santa Maria leads 14 of 22 categories. Compton wins 8 and Santa Maria wins 14. 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 Compton to Santa Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($489,400 vs $438,100 median home), income ($69,728 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Compton, CA and Santa Maria, CA are about 145 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.