Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntsville, AL
VS
Santa Clarita, CA
🏆 Santa Clarita leads 13 of 23 categories
Huntsville
Alabama
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,874
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
215,025
Santa Clarita
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
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.
Huntsville, AL
Pros
Homes cost $433k less ($236,300 vs $669,200)
Rent averages $1295/mo less ($1,020 vs $2,315)
Commutes run 16 min shorter each way
21% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clarita
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.6%)
More college-educated — 45.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clarita by $48,312/yr
Violent crime (483.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Santa Clarita, CA
Pros
Households earn $48,312 more per year on average
66% less violent crime than Huntsville
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 50°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $669,200
Higher rents — median is $2,315/mo
Cost of living runs 21% higher than Huntsville
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntsville
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 94.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Huntsville
Median Home Value
$433k less
$236,300 vs $669,200
Huntsville
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.5% unemployment
Santa Clarita
Median Income
$48,312
$116,186 vs $67,874/yr
Santa Clarita
Violent Crime
66% lower
165.4 vs 483.2 per 100k
Santa Clarita
Summer Heat
6.1°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 88.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntsville, AL | Santa Clarita, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.8 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $236,300 ✓ Lower | $669,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,020 ✓ Lower | $2,315⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $67,874 | $116,186 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter | 35.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% | 13.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 122⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | 44 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High | 56 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 26.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 45.8% ✓ Higher | 38.7% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntsville City | Saugus Union |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.3°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.1°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.2" | 15.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.4" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 215,025 | 225,850 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 12.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntsville's cost of living index is 94.8 vs Santa Clarita's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Huntsville is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Clarita leads 13 of 23 categories. Huntsville wins 10 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 Huntsville to Santa Clarita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($236,300 vs $669,200 median home), income ($67,874 vs $116,186), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntsville, AL and Santa Clarita, CA are about 1,810 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.