Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clara, CA
VS
Santa Maria, CA
🏆 Santa Clara leads 14 of 22 categories
Santa Clara
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$165,352 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48 ✓ Safer
Population
128,058 ✓ Larger
Santa Maria
California
8
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.
Santa Clara, CA
Pros
Households earn $84,115 more per year on average
72% less violent crime than Santa Maria
More college-educated — 64.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (4.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.0 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 19.0:1 student-teacher ratio
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 Maria, CA
Pros
Homes cost $1002k less ($438,100 vs $1,440,200)
Rent averages $1073/mo less ($1,768 vs $2,841)
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 81°F
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clara by $84,115/yr
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)
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 4.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clara
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 112.9 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Santa Clara
Median Income
$84,115
$165,352 vs $81,237/yr
Santa Clara
Violent Crime
72% lower
182.0 vs 660.6 per 100k
Santa Clara
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
4.2% vs 6.3% unemployment
Santa Clara
Summer Heat
7.5°F warmer
July avg high 80.8°F vs 73.3°F
Santa Maria
Median Home Value
$1002k less
$438,100 vs $1,440,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clara, CA | Santa Maria, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $1,440,200⚠ High | $438,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,841⚠ High | $1,768⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $165,352 ✓ Higher | $81,237 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.9% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 ✓ Safer | 140⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 174⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High | 90 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 64.6% ✓ Higher | 14.5% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Clara Unified | Santa Maria-Bonita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.8°F | 64.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.8°F ✓ Warmer | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.6" | 13.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 128,058 ✓ Larger | 109,543 |
| Median Age | 34.5 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 51.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clara's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Santa Maria's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Santa Clara is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Santa Clara leads 14 of 22 categories. Santa Clara wins 14 and Santa Maria wins 8. 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 Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,440,200 vs $438,100 median home), income ($165,352 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clara, CA and Santa Maria, CA are about 188 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.