Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Milwaukee, WI
VS
Santa Maria, CA
🏆 Milwaukee leads 13 of 23 categories
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,733
Violent Crime Index
377⚠ High
Population
573,299 ✓ Larger
Santa Maria
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
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.
Milwaukee, WI
Pros
Homes cost $280k less ($157,800 vs $438,100)
Rent averages $786/mo less ($982 vs $1,768)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Maria
More college-educated — 26.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Maria by $31,504/yr
Violent crime (1430.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2700.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Households earn $31,504 more per year on average
54% less violent crime than Milwaukee
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 30°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 83°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 18% higher than Milwaukee
Key Differences at a Glance
Milwaukee
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 95.5 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Milwaukee
Median Home Value
$280k less
$157,800 vs $438,100
Milwaukee
Summer Heat
9.5°F warmer
July avg high 82.8°F vs 73.3°F
Santa Maria
Median Income
$31,504
$81,237 vs $49,733/yr
Santa Maria
Violent Crime
54% lower
660.6 vs 1430.9 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Milwaukee, WI | Santa Maria, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.5 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $157,800 ✓ Lower | $438,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $982 ✓ Lower | $1,768⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,733 | $81,237 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.2 min | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.4% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 277⚠ High | 140⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 377⚠ High | 174⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 90 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.1% ✓ Higher | 14.5% |
| High School or Higher | 85.4% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Milwaukee School District | Santa Maria-Bonita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 29.7°F | 64.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.8°F ✓ Warmer | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.8" | 13.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 39.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 573,299 ✓ Larger | 109,543 |
| Median Age | 31.8 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.2% | 51.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.7% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Milwaukee's cost of living index is 95.5 vs Santa Maria's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Milwaukee is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Milwaukee leads 13 of 23 categories. Milwaukee wins 13 and Santa Maria wins 10. 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 Milwaukee to Santa Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($157,800 vs $438,100 median home), income ($49,733 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Milwaukee, WI and Santa Maria, CA are about 1,819 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.