Santa Maria, CA vs Arroyo Grande, CA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricSanta Maria, CAArroyo Grande, CA
Population110,46218,372
Median Household Income$84,746$102,553
Median Rent$1,925/mo$2,173/mo
Median Home Value$531,700$814,200
Cost of Living (US = 100)109109
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income58.9%60.7%
Poverty Rate17.3%4.8%
Unemployment Rate6.7%4.4% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k624126
Property Crime Rate /100k1,813571
Median AQI5250
Good AQI Days /yr164191
Summer Highs73°F71°F
Winter Lows41°F44°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute22.4 min23.8 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating3.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher21.521
College Degree Rate15.7%45.3%
Foreign-Born %33%7.3%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+1.5%-1.7%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.