Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Rosa, CA
VS
Savannah, GA
🏆 Savannah leads 10 of 19 categories
Santa Rosa
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
110.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$92,604 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
90
Population
178,221 ✓ Larger
Savannah
Georgia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,748
Violent Crime Index
5 ✓ Safer
Population
147,583
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Rosa, CA
Pros
Households earn $37,856 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (5.6%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 92°F
More college-educated — 34.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $661,700
Higher rents — median is $2,024/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Savannah
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 110.1)
Savannah, GA
Pros
Homes cost $458k less ($203,300 vs $661,700)
94% less violent crime than Santa Rosa
Rent averages $808/mo less ($1,216 vs $2,024)
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Rosa
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Rosa by $37,856/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Rosa
Median Income
$37,856
$92,604 vs $54,748/yr
Santa Rosa
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
5.6% vs 7.2% unemployment
Savannah
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 95.6 vs 110.1 (100 = US avg)
Savannah
Violent Crime
94% lower
20.3 vs 342.6 per 100k
Savannah
Median Home Value
$458k less
$203,300 vs $661,700
Savannah
Summer Heat
10.7°F warmer
July avg high 92.3°F vs 81.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Rosa, CA | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 110.1⚠ High | 95.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $661,700⚠ High | $203,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,024⚠ High | $1,216 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,604 ✓ Higher | $54,748 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.7 min | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.9% | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 79 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 | 5 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (90) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.5:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.7% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 85.4% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Rincon Valley Union Elementary | Savannah-Chatham County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.7°F | 61.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 81.6°F | 92.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.5" ✓ Drier | 52.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 178,221 ✓ Larger | 147,583 |
| Median Age | 40.4 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% ✓ More | 20.1% |
| Over 65 | 18.3% ✓ More | 14.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Rosa's cost of living index is 110.1 vs Savannah's 95.6 (US average = 100).
Savannah is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Savannah leads 10 of 19 categories. Santa Rosa wins 9 and Savannah wins 10. 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 Rosa to Savannah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($661,700 vs $203,300 median home), income ($92,604 vs $54,748), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Rosa, CA and Savannah, GA are about 2,364 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.