Population
Santa Monica
91,535
Santa Barbara
88,024
Median Income
Santa Monica
$109,739
Santa Barbara
$101,672
Home Value
Santa Monica
$1,810,200
Santa Barbara
$1,466,400
Rent
Santa Monica
$2,338
Santa Barbara
$2,302
Crime Rate
Santa Monica
7.82
Santa Barbara
6.50
Cost of Living
Santa Monica
241.2
Santa Barbara
235.7
Avg Temp
Santa Monica
N/A
Santa Barbara
N/A
Unemployment
Santa Monica
6.1%
Santa Barbara
4.7%
How Similar Are Santa Monica & Santa Barbara?
Santa Barbara is Santa Monica's #2 most similar city
5 of 10 key metrics match within 10%
Population
Santa Monica
91,535
Santa Barbara
88,024
Both cities have similar populations — Santa Monica at 91,535 and Santa Barbara at 88,024.
Violent Crime
Santa Monica
7.82
Santa Barbara
6.50
Santa Monica has a 17% higher violent crime than Santa Barbara.
Property Crime
Santa Monica
47.90
Santa Barbara
18.10
Santa Monica's property crime is significantly higher than Santa Barbara's — 62% difference.
Political Leaning
Santa Monica
31.9%
Santa Barbara
35.1%
Both cities lean Democratic with similar vote shares — 9% difference.
Unemployment
Santa Monica
6.1%
Santa Barbara
4.7%
Santa Monica has a 23% higher unemployment than Santa Barbara.
Median Income
Santa Monica
$109,739
Santa Barbara
$101,672
Both cities have similar median income — just a 7% difference.
Home Values
Santa Monica
$1,810,200
Santa Barbara
$1,466,400
Santa Monica has a 19% higher home values than Santa Barbara.
Education
Santa Monica
55.4%
Santa Barbara
36.2%
Santa Monica has a 35% higher education than Santa Barbara.
Demographics
Santa Monica
66.9%
Santa Barbara
63.3%
Both cities have similar demographics — just a 5% difference.
Cost of Living
Santa Monica
241.2
Santa Barbara
235.7
Both cities have similar cost of living — just a 2% difference.
5 out of 10 key metrics match within 10%. Santa Monica and Santa Barbara share several key characteristics.
At a Glance
0
Santa Monica
0
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara leads in 3 of 8 categories
Cost of Living & Affordability — Santa Barbara leads
Source: City Stats Index / HUDSanta Monica has a fair market rent (1br) of $2,085 vs $2,746 in Santa Barbara (24% lower). Santa Monica has a fair market rent (2br) of $2,601 vs $3,124 in Santa Barbara (17% lower). Santa Barbara scores 155.4 on the transportation index (100 = national avg) vs 167.8 in Santa Monica.
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 Barbara leads
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSSanta Barbara has a vacancy rate of 6.1% compared to 11.3% in Santa Monica. Santa Barbara has a single-family homes of 55.3% compared to 22.6% in Santa Monica. Santa Barbara has a median property tax of $7,043 vs $10,001 in Santa Monica (42% lower).
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Property Tax
Owner-Occupied
Vacancy Rate
Single-Family Homes
Jobs & Economy — Santa Monica leads
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSSanta Monica has a work from home of 33.1% compared to 17.0% in Santa Barbara. Santa Monica has a per capita income of $90,657 vs $62,921 in Santa Barbara (44% higher). Santa Barbara has a unemployment rate of 4.7% compared to 6.1% in Santa Monica.
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 burglary rate (per 1k) of 1.70 compared to 8.49 in Santa Monica. Santa Barbara has a robbery rate (per 1k) of 0.75 compared to 2.02 in Santa Monica. Santa Barbara has a property crime rate (per 1k) of 18.10 compared to 47.90 in Santa Monica.
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 Monica leads
Source: NCES / U.S. Census BureauSanta Monica has a bachelor's degree or higher of 55.4% compared to 36.2% in Santa Barbara. Santa Monica has a high school diploma or higher of 62.3% compared to 44.7% in Santa Barbara.
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 Monica has a population of 91,535, about 1x the size of Santa Barbara (88,024). Santa Barbara skews younger with a median age of 39.4 vs 42.9.
Population
Median Age
Avg Household Size
Married Population
Foreign Born
White
Black
Hispanic
Asian
Santa Monica
Santa Barbara
Healthcare
Source: CMS Hospital CompareSanta Monica: 5 vs Santa Barbara: 4 for with emergency services. Santa Barbara: 5.0 vs Santa Monica: 3.8 for avg cms rating (out of 5).
Nearby Hospitals
Avg CMS Rating (out of 5)
With Emergency Services
Transportation & Commute
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSSanta Monica has a work from home of 33.1% compared to 17.0% in Santa Barbara. Santa Monica has a public transit of 2.8% compared to 2.3% in Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara has a drive alone of 61.3% compared to 50.6% in Santa Monica.
Mean Commute Time
Drive Alone
Public Transit
Bicycle
Work from Home
Airports
Cities Similar to Santa Monica, CA
Compare Santa Monica 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.