Santa Barbara vs Santa Clarita
The short version
- Santa Barbara is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Santa Clarita area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $784,700 in Santa Clarita and $1,570,800 in Santa Barbara.
- Households earn more in Santa Clarita ($123,062 vs $106,182 median).
- Santa Clarita has more scorching days: 87 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 5.
- Commutes are shorter in Santa Barbara (17 vs 34 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Santa Barbara, CA | Santa Clarita, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 86,422 | 228,430 |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.7% | -1.9% |
| People per square mile | 4,434 | 3,103 |
| Median age | 39.7 | 38.4 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52% | 40% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $106,182 | $123,062 |
| Median home value | $1,570,800 | $784,700 |
| Home value to income | 14.8× | 6.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,413 | $2,544 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 108.8 | 113.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 151.4 | 170.4 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $81,600 | $85,200 |
| Homeowners | 40% | 72% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 17.3 | 34.1 |
| Work from home | 19% | 19% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| Poverty rate | 14% | 7.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 67° / 47° | 63° / 47° |
| July high / low | 76° / 60° | 94° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 19 in | 17 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 5 | 87 |
| Nights below freezing | 0 | 1 |
| Comfortable months | 12 | 8 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.0 | 100.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 45% | 11% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.3% | +1.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +43.7% | +31.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Santa Barbara: January to December. Santa Clarita: October to May.
Full monthly tables: Santa Barbara weather by month and Santa Clarita weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $81,600 in Santa Barbara and $85,200 in Santa Clarita. Moving from Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita, you would need about $78,300 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Santa Barbara and Santa Clarita
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Santa Barbara and Santa Clarita.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.