Santa Barbara vs Westminster
The short version
- Santa Barbara is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Westminster area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $858,300 in Westminster and $1,570,800 in Santa Barbara.
- Households earn more in Santa Barbara ($106,182 vs $85,541 median).
- Westminster has more scorching days: 39 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 5.
- Commutes are shorter in Santa Barbara (17 vs 27 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Santa Barbara, CA | Westminster, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 86,422 | 88,966 |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.7% | -2% |
| People per square mile | 4,434 | 8,862 |
| Median age | 39.7 | 43.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52% | 26% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $106,182 | $85,541 |
| Median home value | $1,570,800 | $858,300 |
| Home value to income | 14.8× | 10.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,413 | $2,168 |
| 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% | 53% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 17.3 | 27.0 |
| Work from home | 19% | 12% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.8% | 7.2% |
| Poverty rate | 14% | 14.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 67° / 47° | 69° / 46° |
| July high / low | 76° / 60° | 84° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 19 in | 12 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 5 | 39 |
| Nights below freezing | 0 | 0 |
| Comfortable months | 12 | 11 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.0 | 99.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 45% | 11% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.3% | +3.3% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +43.7% | +45.5% |
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. Westminster: September to July.
Full monthly tables: Santa Barbara weather by month and Westminster 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 Westminster. Moving from Santa Barbara to Westminster, you would need about $78,300 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Santa Barbara and Westminster
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 Westminster.
Which would you pick?
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