Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clara, CA
VS
Santa Clarita, CA
🏆 Santa Clarita leads 13 of 23 categories
Santa Clara
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$165,352 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48
Population
128,058
Santa Clarita
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$116,186
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
225,850 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Clara, CA
Pros
Households earn $49,166 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 64.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.2%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,440,200
Higher rents — median is $2,841/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Property crime (2501.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Santa Clarita, CA
Pros
Homes cost $771k less ($669,200 vs $1,440,200)
Rent averages $526/mo less ($2,315 vs $2,841)
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.4 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clara by $49,166/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.2%)
Longer commutes — 35.2 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clara
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 112.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Santa Clara
Median Income
$49,166
$165,352 vs $116,186/yr
Santa Clara
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.2% vs 5.5% unemployment
Santa Clarita
Violent Crime
9% lower
165.4 vs 182.0 per 100k
Santa Clarita
Median Home Value
$771k less
$669,200 vs $1,440,200
Santa Clarita
Summer Heat
13.4°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 80.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clara, CA | Santa Clarita, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $1,440,200⚠ High | $669,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,841⚠ High | $2,315⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $165,352 ✓ Higher | $116,186 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 35.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.9% ✓ Higher | 13.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 | 44 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High | 56 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 26.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 64.6% ✓ Higher | 38.7% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Clara Unified | Saugus Union |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.8°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.8°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.6" | 15.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 128,058 | 225,850 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 12.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clara's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Santa Clarita's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Santa Clara is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Clarita leads 13 of 23 categories. Santa Clara wins 10 and Santa Clarita wins 13. 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 Santa Clara to Santa Clarita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,440,200 vs $669,200 median home), income ($165,352 vs $116,186), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clara, CA and Santa Clarita, CA are about 282 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.