Residential comparison · 13 facts
Salinas, CA vs Santa Clara, 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 Salinas needs about $100,500 in Santa Clara to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Santa Clara, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $70,000 in Salinas.
A few differences
- Santa Clara is higher on median household income ($178,958 vs $91,908).
- Salinas is lower on cost of living index (133 vs 200).
- Salinas is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,065/mo vs $3,153/mo).
Salinas vs Santa Clara · facet by facet
| Facet | Salinas, CA | Santa Clara, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $654,100 | $1,582,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,065/mo | $3,153/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 133 | 200 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $91,908 | $178,958 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 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: Salinas, CA · Santa Clara, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Salinas cheaper than Santa Clara?
- Salinas has the lower day-to-day cost index (133 vs 200 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Santa Clara equals $85,000 in Salinas?
- A household earning $85,000 in Salinas needs about $100,500 in Santa Clara to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Santa Clara lifestyle costs about $70,000 in Salinas.