2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Mountain View, CA vs Santa Barbara, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Santa Barbara older or younger than people in Mountain View?
- The Median Age in Santa Barbara is 3.7 years older than in Mountain View.

Are housing costs cheaper in Santa Barbara or Mountain View?
- Santa Barbara housing costs are 14.0% less expensive than Mountain View housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Santa Barbara or Mountain View?
- The average commute for residents of Santa Barbara is 5.9 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Mountain View.

Things to do in Mountain View?
Mountain View, California offers a unique mix between traditional landmarks such as Moffett's Hangar One or the NASA Ames Research Center for any aerospace aficionado combined with modern attractions such as Shoreline Amphitheater or GooglePlex.

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.

 Mountain View, CASanta Barbara, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock89,132329,725,481
 Median Income$158,104  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock39.138.4
 Avg. Home Price$1,773,700  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.1%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time23.01  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Mountain View    15 Reviews

Over 5 years ago

It’s  More

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I've lived here 25 years. Perfect climate. Very central for employment opportunities. Really great schools. 45 min to San Fran, 45 min to Santa Cruz beach. Shoreline  More

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Over 15 years ago

I was born and raised in Mountain View. I used to really like this city, and California. Unfortunately, the city (along with the state) has been over run with high  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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