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Residential comparison · 13 facts

Eastern Goleta Valley, CA vs Santa Maria, CA

Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.

A household earning $85,000 in Eastern Goleta Valley needs about $90,000 in Santa Maria to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Santa Maria, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $80,000 in Eastern Goleta Valley.

A few differences

Eastern Goleta Valley vs Santa Maria · facet by facet
FacetEastern Goleta Valley, CASanta Maria, CA
Median home price$1,361,700$531,700
2-bedroom rent$3,002/mo$1,856/mo
Property tax rate0.75%0.75%
State & local income tax2.09%2.09%
Sales tax8.8%8.8%
Cost of living index186123
Groceries index112112
Utilities$245/mo$245/mo
Median household income$146,284$84,746
Unemployment rate5.2%5.2%
Crime index52/10052/100
School rating5.5/105.5/10
Sunny days / year260 days260 days

Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.

Full profiles: Eastern Goleta Valley, CA · Santa Maria, CA
Questions & answers
Is Eastern Goleta Valley cheaper than Santa Maria?
Santa Maria has the lower day-to-day cost index (123 vs 186 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
What household income in Santa Maria equals $85,000 in Eastern Goleta Valley?
A household earning $85,000 in Eastern Goleta Valley needs about $90,000 in Santa Maria to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Santa Maria lifestyle costs about $80,000 in Eastern Goleta Valley.