Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Monica, CA
VS
St. George, UT
🏆 St. George leads 14 of 23 categories
Santa Monica
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,797 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
205⚠ High
Population
92,168
St. George
Utah
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,333
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
96,174 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Monica, CA
Pros
Households earn $37,464 more per year on average
More college-educated — 67.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 69°F vs 102°F
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 54°F
Smaller class sizes — 18.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,654,800
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Violent crime (778.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 19% higher than St. George
St. George, UT
Pros
Homes cost $1240k less ($415,200 vs $1,654,800)
Rent averages $892/mo less ($1,335 vs $2,227)
73% less violent crime than Santa Monica
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (3.3%)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Monica
Violent crime is well below the national average (210.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Santa Monica by $37,464/yr
Hot summers — July highs average 102°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Monica
Median Income
$37,464
$106,797 vs $69,333/yr
St. George
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 96.1 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
St. George
Violent Crime
73% lower
210.0 vs 778.0 per 100k
St. George
Median Home Value
$1240k less
$415,200 vs $1,654,800
St. George
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
3.3% vs 6.2% unemployment
St. George
Summer Heat
32.5°F warmer
July avg high 101.9°F vs 69.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Monica, CA | St. George, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 96.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,654,800⚠ High | $415,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,335⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $106,797 ✓ Higher | $69,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High | 3.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.3 min | 16.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.8% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 214⚠ High | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 205⚠ High | 55 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 228⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 67.8% ✓ Higher | 32.6% |
| High School or Higher | 94.7% ✓ Higher | 94.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | Washington District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.0°F ✓ Warmer | 54.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 69.4°F | 101.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.2" | 9.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 1.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,168 | 96,174 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.1 ✓ Older | 37.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 28.9% | 67.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.0% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.8% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Monica's cost of living index is 115.5 vs St. George's 96.1 (US average = 100).
St. George is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. George leads 14 of 23 categories. Santa Monica wins 9 and St. George wins 14. 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 Monica to St. George or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,654,800 vs $415,200 median home), income ($106,797 vs $69,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Monica, CA and St. George, UT are about 348 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.