San Luis Obispo vs Santa Maria
San Luis Obispo, California versus Santa Maria, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria score about the same overall (49 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | San Luis Obispo | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $65k | $81k |
| Cost of Living | $71k | $71k |
| Home Value | $842k | $438k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.61% | 0.69% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 24.17% | 19.94% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | 6.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 52°F | 53°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 64°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 22.4 in | 13.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 259 days | 259 days |
| Summer Humidity | 55°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 195 days | 204 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 67.8 | 67.9 |
| Air Quality | 28 AQI | 31 AQI |
| School Quality | 83.2 | 81.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1411/100k | 1526/100k |
| Property Crime | 3636/100k | 2785/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 47,529 | 109,543 |
| Median Age | 25.2 | 29.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.36 | 0.65 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | D+13 |
| White (%) | 70.4% | 15.0% |
| Black (%) | 1.3% | 1.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 17.9% | 77.8% |
| Asian (%) | 5.1% | 4.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 1.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 14.4/20 | 15.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 158 mi | 134 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.3% | 90.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 58.70 | 13.97 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
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 San Luis Obispo or Santa Maria more affordable?
- Santa Maria has the lower cost of living: its index is $71k, compared with San Luis Obispo's $71k and Santa Maria's $71k. Median rent is $2k in San Luis Obispo versus $2k in Santa Maria.
- Is San Luis Obispo or Santa Maria safer?
- San Luis Obispo has the lower violent crime rate. San Luis Obispo reports 1411/100k and Santa Maria reports 1526/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in San Luis Obispo or Santa Maria?
- The median home value is $842k in San Luis Obispo and $438k in Santa Maria, so homes are more affordable in Santa Maria.