Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Killeen, TX
VS
Santa Maria, CA
🏆 Killeen leads 14 of 22 categories
Killeen
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,086
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
153,708 ✓ Larger
Santa Maria
California
8
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.
Killeen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $263k less ($175,400 vs $438,100)
Rent averages $684/mo less ($1,084 vs $1,768)
20% less violent crime than Santa Maria
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Maria
More college-educated — 22.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.8)
Cons
Median income trails Santa Maria by $24,151/yr
Violent crime (527.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (10.9% vs 6.3%)
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Households earn $24,151 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.6 pts lower (6.3%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 96°F
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 60°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,100
Higher rents — median is $1,768/mo
Violent crime (660.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Killeen
Key Differences at a Glance
Killeen
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 91.8 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Killeen
Violent Crime
20% lower
527.6 vs 660.6 per 100k
Killeen
Median Home Value
$263k less
$175,400 vs $438,100
Killeen
Summer Heat
22.4°F warmer
July avg high 95.7°F vs 73.3°F
Santa Maria
Median Income
$24,151
$81,237 vs $57,086/yr
Santa Maria
Unemployment
4.6 pp lower
6.3% vs 10.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Killeen, TX | Santa Maria, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.8 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $175,400 ✓ Lower | $438,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,084 ✓ Lower | $1,768⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $57,086 | $81,237 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 10.9%⚠ High | 6.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.8 min | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.1% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer | 140⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer | 174⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (83) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.1% ✓ Higher | 14.5% |
| High School or Higher | 91.9% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | KILLEEN ISD | Santa Maria-Bonita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.5°F | 64.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.7°F ✓ Warmer | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.0" | 13.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 153,708 ✓ Larger | 109,543 |
| Median Age | 29.7 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 46.3% | 51.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 29.2% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 7.5% | 10.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Killeen's cost of living index is 91.8 vs Santa Maria's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Killeen is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Killeen leads 14 of 22 categories. Killeen wins 14 and Santa Maria wins 8. 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 Killeen to Santa Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($175,400 vs $438,100 median home), income ($57,086 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Killeen, TX and Santa Maria, CA are about 1,340 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.