Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Plano, TX
VS
Santa Maria, CA
🏆 Plano leads 18 of 23 categories
Plano
Texas
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
Santa Maria
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$81,237
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.
Plano, TX
Pros
77% less violent crime than Santa Maria
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $24,442 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (4.4%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Maria
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 94°F
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 56°F
Cons
Violent crime (660.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Plano by $24,442/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Plano
Key Differences at a Glance
Plano
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Plano
Median Income
$24,442
$105,679 vs $81,237/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
77% lower
151.6 vs 660.6 per 100k
Plano
Median Home Value
$26k less
$412,500 vs $438,100
Plano
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.3% unemployment
Plano
Summer Heat
21.0°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 73.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Plano, TX | Santa Maria, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $412,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $438,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,699⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,768⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $105,679 ✓ Higher | $81,237 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.8 min | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.3% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 52 ✓ Safer | 140⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 ✓ Safer | 174⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (134) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.4% ✓ Higher | 14.5% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PLANO ISD | Santa Maria-Bonita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 64.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" | 13.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,948 ✓ Larger | 109,543 |
| Median Age | 38.9 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.7% ✓ Higher | 51.2% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Plano's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Santa Maria's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Plano is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 18 of 23 categories. Plano wins 18 and Santa Maria wins 5. 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 Plano to Santa Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($412,500 vs $438,100 median home), income ($105,679 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Plano, TX and Santa Maria, CA are about 1,360 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.