Monterey Park vs Santa Clarita
Monterey Park, California versus Santa Clarita, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Monterey Park edges out Santa Clarita on overall objective livability (49 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Monterey Park | Santa Clarita |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $77k | $116k |
| Cost of Living | $66k | $66k |
| Home Value | $770k | $669k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.69% | 0.95% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 23.09% | 21.71% |
| Unemployment | 5.8% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 58°F | 54°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7 in | 15.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 328 days | 328 days |
| Summer Humidity | 42°F | 42°F |
| Comfortable Days | 314 days | 190 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 72.3 | 93.5 |
| Air Quality | 54 AQI | 58 AQI |
| School Quality | 94.5 | 65.3 |
| Violent Crime | 535/100k | 480/100k |
| Property Crime | 2108/100k | 1091/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 60,386 | 225,850 |
| Median Age | 44.7 | 37.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.54 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+45 | D+45 |
| White (%) | 5.4% | 43.5% |
| Black (%) | 0.7% | 3.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 27.1% | 36.7% |
| Asian (%) | 64.5% | 10.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.3% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 35 min |
| Walkability | 15.9/20 | 7.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 18 mi | 34 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.0% | 95.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 116.42 | 13.55 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Monterey Park or Santa Clarita more affordable?
- Santa Clarita has the lower cost of living: its index is $66k, compared with Monterey Park's $66k and Santa Clarita's $66k. Median rent is $2k in Monterey Park versus $2k in Santa Clarita.
- Is Monterey Park or Santa Clarita safer?
- Santa Clarita has the lower violent crime rate. Monterey Park reports 535/100k and Santa Clarita reports 480/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Monterey Park or Santa Clarita?
- The median home value is $770k in Monterey Park and $669k in Santa Clarita, so homes are more affordable in Santa Clarita.