Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Maria, CA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 15 of 22 categories
Santa Maria
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$81,237 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
109,543
Waco
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,421
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
140,545 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Households earn $33,816 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 95°F
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 59°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,100
Higher rents — median is $1,768/mo
Violent crime (660.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Waco
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $264k less ($174,100 vs $438,100)
Rent averages $730/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,768)
36% less violent crime than Santa Maria
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Maria
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.5%)
More college-educated — 27.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Santa Maria by $33,816/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Maria
Median Income
$33,816
$81,237 vs $47,421/yr
Waco
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Violent Crime
36% lower
425.9 vs 660.6 per 100k
Waco
Median Home Value
$264k less
$174,100 vs $438,100
Waco
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.5% vs 6.3% unemployment
Waco
Summer Heat
21.2°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 73.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Maria, CA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.5⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $438,100⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,768⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $81,237 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.1 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 7.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 140⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 174⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (62) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.2:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 14.5% | 27.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.3% | 85.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Maria-Bonita | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 64.7°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 73.3°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.3" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 109,543 | 140,545 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 29.3 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.2% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 31.0% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 12.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Maria's cost of living index is 113.5 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Waco leads 15 of 22 categories. Santa Maria wins 7 and Waco wins 15. 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 Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,100 vs $174,100 median home), income ($81,237 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Maria, CA and Waco, TX are about 1,360 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.