Residential comparison · 13 facts
Santa Monica, CA vs West Hollywood, 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 Monica needs about $80,000 in West Hollywood to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from West Hollywood, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $90,000 in Santa Monica.
A few differences
- Santa Monica is higher on median household income ($114,885 vs $96,995).
- West Hollywood is lower on cost of living index (155 vs 205).
- West Hollywood is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,540/mo vs $2,834/mo).
Santa Monica vs West Hollywood · facet by facet
| Facet | Santa Monica, CA | West Hollywood, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,755,500 | $924,800 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,834/mo | $2,540/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 | 205 | 155 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $114,885 | $96,995 |
| 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 Monica, CA · West Hollywood, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Santa Monica cheaper than West Hollywood?
- West Hollywood has the lower day-to-day cost index (155 vs 205 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in West Hollywood equals $85,000 in Santa Monica?
- A household earning $85,000 in Santa Monica needs about $80,000 in West Hollywood to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of West Hollywood lifestyle costs about $90,000 in Santa Monica.