Madera, CA vs Santa Barbara, CA

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Madera

65.3

#1641 nationally

vs

Santa Barbara

59.8

#1944 nationally

Madera leads in cost of living index (119 vs 225). Madera leads in crime level (10.8 vs 17.8). Santa Barbara leads in average commute (17.6 min vs 28.3 min).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric Madera, CA Santa Barbara, CA
WhereAtHome Score 65.3 (#1641) 59.8 (#1944)
Population 68,079 86,499
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $426,523 $1,848,325
Median Household Income $61,626 $98,346
Average Commute 28.3 min 17.6 min
Walk Score 42 61
Crime Level 10.8 17.8
School Rating N/A N/A
Cost of Living Index 119 225
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored R+20.8 D+26.7