Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Francisco, CA
VS
Santa Clarita, CA
🏆 Santa Clarita leads 12 of 23 categories
San Francisco
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
117.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,689 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
157⚠ High
Population
851,036 ✓ Larger
Santa Clarita
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$116,186
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
225,850
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Francisco, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 59.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $20,503 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 94°F
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 21.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,348,700
Violent crime (596.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 117.1)
Property crime (3929.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Santa Clarita, CA
Pros
Homes cost $680k less ($669,200 vs $1,348,700)
72% less violent crime than San Francisco
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.4 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Median income trails San Francisco by $20,503/yr
Longer commutes — 35.2 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
San Francisco
Median Income
$20,503
$136,689 vs $116,186/yr
Santa Clarita
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 115.5 vs 117.1 (100 = US avg)
Santa Clarita
Violent Crime
72% lower
165.4 vs 596.5 per 100k
Santa Clarita
Median Home Value
$680k less
$669,200 vs $1,348,700
Santa Clarita
Summer Heat
32.4°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | Santa Clarita, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 117.1⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,348,700⚠ High | $669,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,316⚠ High | $2,315⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,689 ✓ Higher | $116,186 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.8 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 35.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 23.4% ✓ Higher | 13.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 169⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 157⚠ High | 44 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 187⚠ High | 56 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 26.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.8% ✓ Higher | 38.7% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 91.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Francisco Unified | Saugus Union |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 30.0" | 15.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 851,036 ✓ Larger | 225,850 |
| Median Age | 39.3 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.6% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.7% ✓ More | 12.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Francisco's cost of living index is 117.1 vs Santa Clarita's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Santa Clarita is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Clarita leads 12 of 23 categories. San Francisco wins 11 and Santa Clarita 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 San Francisco to Santa Clarita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,348,700 vs $669,200 median home), income ($136,689 vs $116,186), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Francisco, CA and Santa Clarita, CA are about 341 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.