Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clarita, CA
VS
West Jordan, UT
🏆 Santa Clarita leads 12 of 23 categories
Santa Clarita
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$116,186 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
225,850 ✓ Larger
West Jordan
Utah
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$99,002
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
116,383
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Clarita, CA
Pros
44% less violent crime than West Jordan
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.4 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $17,184 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 40°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 17% higher than West Jordan
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
West Jordan, UT
Pros
Homes cost $257k less ($412,100 vs $669,200)
Rent averages $826/mo less ($1,489 vs $2,315)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clarita
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.2%)
Smaller class sizes — 21.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clarita by $17,184/yr
Snowy winters — about 56" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clarita
Median Income
$17,184
$116,186 vs $99,002/yr
Santa Clarita
Violent Crime
44% lower
165.4 vs 294.2 per 100k
West Jordan
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 98.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
West Jordan
Median Home Value
$257k less
$412,100 vs $669,200
West Jordan
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.2% vs 5.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clarita, CA | West Jordan, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 98.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $669,200⚠ High | $412,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,315⚠ High | $1,489⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $116,186 ✓ Higher | $99,002 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.2 min⚠ High | 24.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.7% | 15.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 65 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) | C+ (89) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 21.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.7% ✓ Higher | 27.8% |
| High School or Higher | 91.0% | 91.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Saugus Union | Jordan District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer | 40.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 93.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.5" ✓ Drier | 20.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 55.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,850 ✓ Larger | 116,383 |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 32.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.1% | 77.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | 28.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.4% ✓ More | 8.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clarita's cost of living index is 115.5 vs West Jordan's 98.5 (US average = 100).
West Jordan is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Clarita leads 12 of 23 categories. Santa Clarita wins 12 and West Jordan wins 11. 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 West Jordan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($669,200 vs $412,100 median home), income ($116,186 vs $99,002), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clarita, CA and West Jordan, UT are about 556 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.