Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Maria, CA
VS
Sparks, NV
🏆 Sparks leads 17 of 23 categories
Santa Maria
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$81,237
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
109,543 ✓ Larger
Sparks
Nevada
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,938 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
108,025
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 92°F
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 48°F
Cons
Violent crime (660.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,768/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Sparks
Sparks, NV
Pros
40% less violent crime than Santa Maria
Rent averages $242/mo less ($1,526 vs $1,768)
More college-educated — 25.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Maria
Smaller class sizes — 19.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Property crime (2583.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Sparks
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 103.2 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Sparks
Median Income
$1,701
$82,938 vs $81,237/yr
Sparks
Violent Crime
40% lower
394.4 vs 660.6 per 100k
Sparks
Median Home Value
$15k less
$423,500 vs $438,100
Sparks
Summer Heat
18.8°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 73.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Maria, CA | Sparks, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.5⚠ High | 103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,100⚠ High | $423,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,768⚠ High | $1,526⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $81,237 | $82,938 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3%⚠ High | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter | 23.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 7.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 140⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 174⚠ High | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 123⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (62) | C+ (88) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.2:1 | 19.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 14.5% | 25.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.3% | 85.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Maria-Bonita | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 64.7°F ✓ Warmer | 48.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 73.3°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.3" | 8.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 109,543 ✓ Larger | 108,025 |
| Median Age | 29.3 | 37.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.2% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 31.0% ✓ More | 23.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 15.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Maria's cost of living index is 113.5 vs Sparks's 103.2 (US average = 100).
Sparks is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sparks leads 17 of 23 categories. Santa Maria wins 6 and Sparks wins 17. 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 Maria to Sparks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,100 vs $423,500 median home), income ($81,237 vs $82,938), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Maria, CA and Sparks, NV are about 323 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.