Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Inglewood, CA
VS
Santa Maria, CA
🏆 Santa Maria leads 12 of 22 categories
Inglewood
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$67,563
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
106,806
Santa Maria
California
12
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.
Inglewood, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 22.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $102/mo less ($1,666 vs $1,768)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $689,700
Violent crime (674.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Santa Maria by $13,674/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Homes cost $252k less ($438,100 vs $689,700)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (6.3%)
Households earn $13,674 more per year on average
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 21.2:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Inglewood
Cons
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 rents — median is $1,768/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Inglewood
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
$13,674
$81,237 vs $67,563/yr
Santa Maria
Violent Crime
2% lower
660.6 vs 674.6 per 100k
Santa Maria
Median Home Value
$252k less
$438,100 vs $689,700
Santa Maria
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
6.3% vs 8.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Inglewood, 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 | $689,700⚠ High | $438,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,666⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,768⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $67,563 | $81,237 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.2%⚠ High | 6.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.8 min⚠ High | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.9% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 175⚠ High | 140⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High | 174⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 172⚠ High | 90 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (79) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.0:1 | 21.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.8% ✓ Higher | 14.5% |
| High School or Higher | 77.6% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Inglewood 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 | 106,806 | 109,543 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 35.5% | 51.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.0% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Inglewood'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 12 of 22 categories. Inglewood wins 10 and Santa Maria wins 12. 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 Inglewood to Santa Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($689,700 vs $438,100 median home), income ($67,563 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Inglewood, CA and Santa Maria, CA are about 137 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.