2025 Compare Cities Education:
Los Altos, CA vs Santa Barbara, CA

Change Cities
Highlights
- Santa Barbara spends 9.2% less per student than Los Altos.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 2.7% lower in Santa Barbara than in Los Altos. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Santa Barbara had 11.1% fewer residents who had graduated High School compared to Los Altos
 Los Altos, CASanta Barbara, CAUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$16,705$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$14,141  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$7,862$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio21.59  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock123874573
 Students per Counselor646  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock7.2%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.0.5%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock88.0%88.9%
 Some College Educ.7.0%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock7.2%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.85.9%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock12.6%9.3%
 Professional Degree9.8%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock3.5%1.5%
Reviews for Los Altos    2 Reviews

Over 17 years ago

Expensive but worth  More

   |    Reply

Over 17 years ago

the quality of life here is very high however the cost of living is also high. extremely high as a matter of fact. I'd like to look at other communities that are less  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Los Altos

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

   |    Reply

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

   |    Reply

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

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Santa Barbara


Premium Subscription
Includes Cost of Living compares for child care, utilities, transportation, health, taxes, housing for home owners vs renters, weather, insurance premiums and so much more.


The premier source for comprehensive city data for over 30 years.

© Best Places. All rights reserved.