Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clarita, CA
VS
Suffolk, VA
🏆 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
Suffolk
Virginia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,758
Violent Crime Index
98
Population
94,856
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Clarita, CA
Pros
55% less violent crime than Suffolk
Households earn $28,428 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 49°F
More college-educated — 38.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $669,200
Higher rents — median is $2,315/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Suffolk
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Suffolk, VA
Pros
Homes cost $355k less ($314,400 vs $669,200)
Rent averages $939/mo less ($1,376 vs $2,315)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clarita
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clarita by $28,428/yr
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clarita
Median Income
$28,428
$116,186 vs $87,758/yr
Santa Clarita
Violent Crime
55% lower
165.4 vs 371.0 per 100k
Santa Clarita
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.3% unemployment
Santa Clarita
Summer Heat
7.4°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 86.8°F
Suffolk
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Suffolk
Median Home Value
$355k less
$314,400 vs $669,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clarita, CA | Suffolk, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $669,200⚠ High | $314,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,315⚠ High | $1,376⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $116,186 ✓ Higher | $87,758 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.2 min⚠ High | 29.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.7% ✓ Higher | 7.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 89 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 75 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) | B (99) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.7% ✓ Higher | 32.1% |
| High School or Higher | 91.0% | 91.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Saugus Union | Suffolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer | 49.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 86.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.5" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 5.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,850 ✓ Larger | 94,856 |
| Median Age | 37.3 | 38.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.1% ✓ Higher | 70.4% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 23.6% |
| Over 65 | 12.4% | 14.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clarita's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Suffolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Suffolk is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Clarita leads 14 of 23 categories. Santa Clarita wins 14 and Suffolk 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 Suffolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($669,200 vs $314,400 median home), income ($116,186 vs $87,758), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clarita, CA and Suffolk, VA are about 2,340 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.