Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Santa Maria, CA
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 15 of 22 categories
Huntington Beach
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Santa Maria
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$81,237
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.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
69% less violent crime than Santa Maria
Households earn $33,510 more per year on average
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.4%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Longer commutes — 29.7 min average each way
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Homes cost $539k less ($438,100 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $550/mo less ($1,768 vs $2,318)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 79°F
Smaller class sizes — 21.2:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $33,510/yr
Violent crime (660.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$33,510
$114,747 vs $81,237/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
69% lower
207.3 vs 660.6 per 100k
Huntington Beach
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.3% unemployment
Huntington Beach
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 78.9°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 Home Value
$539k less
$438,100 vs $976,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, 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 | $976,800⚠ High | $438,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,768⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $81,237 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 140⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 174⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 90 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 21.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 14.5% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | Santa Maria-Bonita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 64.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F ✓ Warmer | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 13.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 109,543 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 51.2% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach'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, Huntington Beach leads 15 of 22 categories. Huntington Beach 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 Huntington Beach to Santa Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $438,100 median home), income ($114,747 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Santa Maria, CA are about 163 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.