2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Evanston, IL vs Santa Barbara, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Santa Barbara older or younger than people in Evanston?
- The Median Age in Santa Barbara is 2.5 years older than in Evanston.

Are housing costs cheaper in Santa Barbara or Evanston?
- Santa Barbara housing costs are 259.0% more expensive than Evanston housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Santa Barbara or Evanston?
- The average commute for residents of Santa Barbara is 13.7 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Evanston.

Things to do in Evanston?
Evanston, Illinois is a vibrant city located in the Northeastern region of the United States. Home to attractions such as Northwestern University and Chicago Botanic Garden, visitors can explore outdoor activities and educational sites when visiting Evanston. There are also plenty of museums, galleries, and performance venues such as the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian and Piven Theatre Works. For entertainment, visitors can explore boutique shops and restaurants along with movie theaters and live music clubs. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an exciting night out, Evanston has something for everyone!

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.

 Evanston, ILSanta Barbara, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock89,132329,725,481
 Median Income$87,345  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock39.138.4
 Avg. Home Price$424,900  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.1%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time30.84  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Evanston    20 Reviews

Over 6 years ago

be sure to take pictures of where you park... Full-scale parking scam going on in this town. They purposely obscure self-pay parking signs. Nine out of 10 visitors  More

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I've lived here for two years for school. Terrible place for students. Northwestern is a great school/campus, but the city itself is NOT student friendly. Everything  More

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Aside from everything else mentioned on this site about the bad aspects of Evanston - bot be overlooked is the NOISE. The People's Republic of Evanston CATERS to the  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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