Santa Maria, CA vs Grover Beach, CA

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

MetricSanta Maria, CAGrover Beach, CA
Population110,46212,604
Median Household Income$84,746$86,458
Median Rent$1,925/mo$2,061/mo
Median Home Value$531,700$727,500
Cost of Living (US = 100)109109
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income58.9%49.5%
Poverty Rate17.3%11.8%
Unemployment Rate6.7%4.4% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k624216
Property Crime Rate /100k1,813664
Median AQI5250
Good AQI Days /yr164191
Summer Highs73°F71°F
Winter Lows41°F44°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute22.4 min20.2 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating3.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher21.519.1
College Degree Rate15.7%28.7%
Foreign-Born %33%14.9%
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.