Residential comparison · 13 facts
Santa Barbara, CA vs Simi Valley, 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 Santa Barbara needs about $86,000 in Simi Valley to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Simi Valley, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $84,000 in Santa Barbara.
A few differences
- Simi Valley is higher on median household income ($122,081 vs $106,182).
- Simi Valley is lower on cost of living index (148 vs 194).
- Simi Valley is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,461/mo vs $2,772/mo).
Santa Barbara vs Simi Valley · facet by facet
| Facet | Santa Barbara, CA | Simi Valley, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,570,800 | $823,800 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,772/mo | $2,461/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 | 194 | 148 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $106,182 | $122,081 |
| 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: Santa Barbara, CA · Simi Valley, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Santa Barbara cheaper than Simi Valley?
- Simi Valley has the lower day-to-day cost index (148 vs 194 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Simi Valley equals $85,000 in Santa Barbara?
- A household earning $85,000 in Santa Barbara needs about $86,000 in Simi Valley to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Simi Valley lifestyle costs about $84,000 in Santa Barbara.