What it's like to live in Santa Maria
Santa Maria is a mid-size city in California with commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Santa Maria deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, unemployment above the national average, and crime rates above the national average.
The good
- Short commutes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
How Santa Maria compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Santa Maria
Based on Santa Maria's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,850
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $77,000 a year
- 59% of Santa Maria renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$106,340
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $53,170
- Homes cost 6.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 36% above US
$1,925/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $1,925 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $531,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $531,700 · 59% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 56% above US
6.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 6.7%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 89% above US
624 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 1813/100k · Santa Maria Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 14% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 73°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 41°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 56% below US
16% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
21 public schools inside the boundary
There are 21 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Channel Islands National Park (72 miles away).
Bottom line
Santa Maria's strongest point is commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,925/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget, anyone moving without a job lined up, and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Santa Maria
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