Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Los Angeles, CA
VS
Santa Maria, CA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Los Angeles
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,244
Violent Crime Index
192⚠ High
Population
3,881,041 ✓ Larger
Santa Maria
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$81,237 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
109,543
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Los Angeles, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 36.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 19.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $822,600
Violent crime (728.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (7.7% vs 6.3%)
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Homes cost $385k less ($438,100 vs $822,600)
9% less violent crime than Los Angeles
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (6.3%)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Households earn $4,993 more per year on average
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Los Angeles
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)
Key Differences at a Glance
Los Angeles
Summer Heat
4.7°F warmer
July avg high 78.0°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
$4,993
$81,237 vs $76,244/yr
Santa Maria
Violent Crime
9% lower
660.6 vs 728.5 per 100k
Santa Maria
Median Home Value
$385k less
$438,100 vs $822,600
Santa Maria
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
6.3% vs 7.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Los Angeles, 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 | $822,600⚠ High | $438,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,791⚠ High | $1,768⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,244 | $81,237 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7%⚠ High | 6.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.3 min⚠ High | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 15.1% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 143⚠ High | 140⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 174⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.7% ✓ Higher | 14.5% |
| High School or Higher | 78.7% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Los Angeles Unified | Santa Maria-Bonita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 66.6°F ✓ Warmer | 64.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.0°F ✓ Warmer | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" | 13.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 3,881,041 ✓ Larger | 109,543 |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.6% | 51.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Los Angeles'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, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Los Angeles wins 11 and Santa Maria wins 11. 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 Los Angeles to Santa Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($822,600 vs $438,100 median home), income ($76,244 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Los Angeles, CA and Santa Maria, CA are about 132 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.