Palmdale vs Santa Clarita
Palmdale, 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.
Santa Clarita edges out Palmdale on overall objective livability (44 vs 38 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Palmdale | Santa Clarita |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $78k | $116k |
| Cost of Living | $66k | $66k |
| Home Value | $398k | $669k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.04% | 0.95% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.51% | 21.71% |
| Unemployment | 7.4% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 47°F | 54°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 82°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 7.3 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 | 72 days | 190 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 90.5 | 93.5 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 58 AQI |
| School Quality | 60.1 | 65.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1214/100k | 480/100k |
| Property Crime | 1550/100k | 1091/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 166,895 | 225,850 |
| Median Age | 33.0 | 37.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.74 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+45 | D+45 |
| White (%) | 17.6% | 43.5% |
| Black (%) | 11.8% | 3.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 63.0% | 36.7% |
| Asian (%) | 4.6% | 10.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 41 min | 35 min |
| Walkability | 8.4/20 | 7.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 48 mi | 34 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.5% | 95.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 7.07 | 13.55 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Palmdale or Santa Clarita more affordable?
- Santa Clarita has the lower cost of living: its index is $66k, compared with Palmdale's $66k and Santa Clarita's $66k. Median rent is $2k in Palmdale versus $2k in Santa Clarita.
- Is Palmdale or Santa Clarita safer?
- Santa Clarita has the lower violent crime rate. Palmdale reports 1214/100k and Santa Clarita reports 480/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Palmdale or Santa Clarita?
- The median home value is $398k in Palmdale and $669k in Santa Clarita, so homes are more affordable in Palmdale.