Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clarita, CA
VS
South Fulton, GA
🏆 Santa Clarita leads 15 of 23 categories
Santa Clarita
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$116,186 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
225,850 ✓ Larger
South Fulton
Georgia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$77,488
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
107,865
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Clarita, CA
Pros
65% less violent crime than South Fulton
Households earn $38,698 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (5.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 54°F
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)
Cost of living runs 15% higher than South Fulton
South Fulton, GA
Pros
Homes cost $427k less ($242,200 vs $669,200)
Rent averages $854/mo less ($1,461 vs $2,315)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clarita
Smaller class sizes — 18.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clarita by $38,698/yr
Violent crime (470.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.8% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clarita
Median Income
$38,698
$116,186 vs $77,488/yr
Santa Clarita
Violent Crime
65% lower
165.4 vs 470.5 per 100k
Santa Clarita
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
5.5% vs 7.8% unemployment
Santa Clarita
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 90.1°F
South Fulton
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
South Fulton
Median Home Value
$427k less
$242,200 vs $669,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clarita, CA | South Fulton, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $669,200⚠ High | $242,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,315⚠ High | $1,461⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $116,186 ✓ Higher | $77,488 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.2 min⚠ High | 32.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.7% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) | C+ (86) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 18.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.7% | 39.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.0% | 93.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Saugus Union | State Specialty Schools I- Georgia Cyber Academy |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer | 54.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 90.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.5" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 2.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,850 ✓ Larger | 107,865 |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.1% ✓ Higher | 69.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 24.1% |
| Over 65 | 12.4% ✓ More | 11.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clarita's cost of living index is 115.5 vs South Fulton's 100.9 (US average = 100).
South Fulton is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Clarita leads 15 of 23 categories. Santa Clarita wins 15 and South Fulton 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 Clarita to South Fulton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($669,200 vs $242,200 median home), income ($116,186 vs $77,488), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clarita, CA and South Fulton, GA are about 1,934 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.