Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clarita, CA
VS
Santa Maria, CA
🏆 Santa Clarita leads 14 of 23 categories
Santa Clarita
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$116,186 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
225,850 ✓ Larger
Santa Maria
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
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 Clarita, CA
Pros
75% less violent crime than Santa Maria
Households earn $34,949 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.4 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 38.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.5%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $669,200
Higher rents — median is $2,315/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Longer commutes — 35.2 min average each way
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Homes cost $231k less ($438,100 vs $669,200)
Rent averages $547/mo less ($1,768 vs $2,315)
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 21.2:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clarita
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clarita by $34,949/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 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clarita
Median Income
$34,949
$116,186 vs $81,237/yr
Santa Clarita
Violent Crime
75% lower
165.4 vs 660.6 per 100k
Santa Clarita
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.3% unemployment
Santa Clarita
Summer Heat
20.9°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 73.3°F
Santa Maria
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 113.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Santa Maria
Median Home Value
$231k less
$438,100 vs $669,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clarita, CA | Santa Maria, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $669,200⚠ High | $438,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,315⚠ High | $1,768⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $116,186 ✓ Higher | $81,237 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.2 min⚠ High | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.7% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 140⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 174⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 21.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.7% ✓ Higher | 14.5% |
| High School or Higher | 91.0% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Saugus Union | Santa Maria-Bonita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.2°F | 64.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.5" | 13.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,850 ✓ Larger | 109,543 |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.1% ✓ Higher | 51.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.4% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clarita's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Santa Maria's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Santa Maria is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Clarita leads 14 of 23 categories. Santa Clarita wins 14 and Santa Maria wins 9. 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 Clarita to Santa Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($669,200 vs $438,100 median home), income ($116,186 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clarita, CA and Santa Maria, CA are about 116 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.