Population
Santa Cruz
60,953
Santa Barbara
88,024
Median Income
Santa Cruz
$111,427
Santa Barbara
$101,672
Home Value
Santa Cruz
$1,180,100
Santa Barbara
$1,466,400
Rent
Santa Cruz
$2,302
Santa Barbara
$2,302
Crime Rate
Santa Cruz
6.13
Santa Barbara
6.50
Cost of Living
Santa Cruz
225.2
Santa Barbara
235.7
Avg Temp
Santa Cruz
N/A
Santa Barbara
N/A
Unemployment
Santa Cruz
6.3%
Santa Barbara
4.7%
How Similar Are Santa Cruz & Santa Barbara?
Santa Barbara is Santa Cruz's #4 most similar city
5 of 10 key metrics match within 10%
Population
Santa Cruz
60,953
Santa Barbara
88,024
Santa Barbara has a 31% larger population than Santa Cruz.
Violent Crime
Santa Cruz
6.13
Santa Barbara
6.50
Both cities have similar violent crime — just a 6% difference.
Property Crime
Santa Cruz
25.15
Santa Barbara
18.10
Santa Cruz has a 28% higher property crime than Santa Barbara.
Political Leaning
Santa Cruz
20.9%
Santa Barbara
35.1%
Both cities lean Democratic, but Santa Barbara has a stronger Democratic lean (41% difference).
Unemployment
Santa Cruz
6.3%
Santa Barbara
4.7%
Santa Cruz has a 26% higher unemployment than Santa Barbara.
Median Income
Santa Cruz
$111,427
Santa Barbara
$101,672
Both cities have similar median income — just a 9% difference.
Home Values
Santa Cruz
$1,180,100
Santa Barbara
$1,466,400
Santa Barbara has a 20% higher home values than Santa Cruz.
Education
Santa Cruz
33.5%
Santa Barbara
36.2%
Both cities have similar education — just a 7% difference.
Demographics
Santa Cruz
65.8%
Santa Barbara
63.3%
Both cities have similar demographics — just a 4% difference.
Cost of Living
Santa Cruz
225.2
Santa Barbara
235.7
Both cities have similar cost of living — just a 4% difference.
5 out of 10 key metrics match within 10%. Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara share several key characteristics.
At a Glance
0
Santa Cruz
0
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara leads in 4 of 8 categories
Cost of Living & Affordability — Santa Cruz leads
Source: City Stats Index / HUDSanta Barbara has a fair market rent (2br) of $3,124 vs $4,214 in Santa Cruz (35% lower). Santa Cruz scores 117.6 on the transportation index (100 = national avg) vs 155.4 in Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara has a fair market rent (1br) of $2,746 vs $3,298 in Santa Cruz (20% lower).
Overall Cost Index
Housing Index
Food Index
Transportation Index
Healthcare Index
Utilities Index
Living Wage (1 Adult)
Living Wage (Family of 4)
Fair Market Rent (1BR)
Fair Market Rent (2BR)
Housing Market — Santa Cruz leads
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSSanta Barbara has a vacancy rate of 6.1% compared to 8.9% in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz has a owner-occupied of 47.7% compared to 39.8% in Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara has a median home value of $1,466,400 vs $1,180,100 in Santa Cruz (20% higher).
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Property Tax
Owner-Occupied
Vacancy Rate
Single-Family Homes
Jobs & Economy — Santa Barbara leads
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSSanta Barbara has a unemployment rate of 4.7% compared to 6.3% in Santa Cruz. Santa Barbara has a poverty rate of 13.1% compared to 17.6% in Santa Cruz. Santa Barbara: 48,520 vs Santa Cruz: 33,751 for labor force.
Median Household Income
Per Capita Income
Poverty Rate
Unemployment Rate
Labor Force
Mean Commute
Work from Home
Private Sector
Government Sector
Crime & Safety — Santa Barbara leads
Source: FBI UCRSanta Barbara has a larceny rate (per 1k) of 14.41 compared to 22.22 in Santa Cruz. Santa Barbara has a property crime rate (per 1k) of 18.10 compared to 25.15 in Santa Cruz. Santa Barbara has a robbery rate (per 1k) of 0.75 compared to 1.03 in Santa Cruz.
Violent Crime Rate (per 1K)
Property Crime Rate (per 1K)
Murder Rate (per 1K)
Robbery Rate (per 1K)
Assault Rate (per 1K)
Burglary Rate (per 1K)
Larceny Rate (per 1K)
Violent Crime Clearance
Property Crime Clearance
Weather & Climate
Source: NOAA / Open-MeteoAvg Annual Temperature
Avg Annual High
Avg Annual Low
Sunny Days per Year
Annual Rainfall
Annual Snowfall
Avg Humidity
Schools & Education — Santa Barbara leads
Source: NCES / U.S. Census BureauSanta Barbara has a high school diploma or higher of 44.7% compared to 39.5% in Santa Cruz. Santa Barbara has a bachelor's degree or higher of 36.2% compared to 33.5% in Santa Cruz.
Public Schools
Avg Student-Teacher Ratio
Colleges & Universities
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
High School Diploma or Higher
Demographics & Community
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSSanta Barbara has a population of 88,024, about 1.4x the size of Santa Cruz (60,953). Santa Cruz skews younger with a median age of 30.7 vs 39.4.
Population
Median Age
Avg Household Size
Married Population
Foreign Born
White
Black
Hispanic
Asian
Santa Cruz
Santa Barbara
Healthcare — Santa Barbara leads
Source: CMS Hospital CompareSanta Barbara: 5.0 vs Santa Cruz: 3.0 for avg cms rating (out of 5). Santa Barbara: 4 vs Santa Cruz: 3 for with emergency services.
Nearby Hospitals
Avg CMS Rating (out of 5)
With Emergency Services
Transportation & Commute — Santa Cruz leads
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSSanta Cruz has a public transit of 4.8% compared to 2.3% in Santa Barbara. Santa Cruz has a bicycle of 5.2% compared to 3.2% in Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara has a drive alone of 61.3% compared to 53.0% in Santa Cruz.
Mean Commute Time
Drive Alone
Public Transit
Bicycle
Work from Home
Airports
Cities Similar to Santa Cruz, CA
Compare Santa Cruz against its closest statistical matches across demographics, income, crime, health, and more.
City Comparison
8-axis fingerprint: population, income, housing, crime, education, age, climate, and cost of living. Click legend items to toggle.