2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Alpena, MI vs Santa Barbara, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Santa Barbara older or younger than people in Alpena?
- The Median Age in Santa Barbara is 4.9 years younger than in Alpena.

Are housing costs cheaper in Santa Barbara or Alpena?
- Santa Barbara housing costs are 969.8% more expensive than Alpena housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Santa Barbara or Alpena?
- The average commute for residents of Santa Barbara is 5.2 minutes longer than it is for residents of Alpena.

Things to do in Alpena?
Alpena stands out as Michigan's only natural deep water harbor conveniently situated near Lake Huron's Thunder Bay . With over 10000 inhabiting citizens this area provides tremendous recreational variety from boating expeditions to world class scuba diving dives & almost infinite outdoors fishing very popular among vacationers coming from all over United States .

Things to do in Santa Barbara?
Santa Barbara, California has something for everyone - from fantastic beaches to world-class shopping and dining experiences. Visitors can explore Old Mission Santa Barbara or take part in various water activities around Stearns Wharf.

 Alpena, MISanta Barbara, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock89,132329,725,481
 Median Income$40,202  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock39.138.4
 Avg. Home Price$142,600  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.1%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time11.92  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Alpena    5 Reviews

One of the ten best places to visit in Michigan. I was born and raised in Michigan but now live in Seattle. I get back to Michigan frequently because my brother  More

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Over 12 years ago

Alpena is 740 ft above sea leval and gets 72 in. of snow every year. That's a good thing and Alpena is a winter wonderland for me . Clean and crisp with the lake frozen  More

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Alpena is a town for all ages, with plenty to do, more than one person could attend. I think the events are varied and offer something for everyone. The town is  More

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Reviews for Santa Barbara    51 Reviews

I moved to Santa Barbara around 23 years ago to study at Brooks, which like most of the Santa Barbara that I knew—has been destroyed. Homelessness, drugs, gangs, high  More

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Over 4 years ago

I fell in love with Santa Barbara about thirty years ago and finally moved here a few years ago. Because of the price of homes, it is an expensive place to live. The  More

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If you like high crime, paying a $4,500 a month mortgage and crazy high taxes, this is the place for you. It’s too bad because it wasn’t always like this. When I moved  More

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