2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Santa Barbara, CA vs Albany, CA

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

Are housing costs cheaper in Albany or Santa Barbara?
- Albany housing costs are 20.2% less expensive than Santa Barbara housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Albany or Santa Barbara?
- The average commute for residents of Albany is 14.6 minutes longer than it is for residents of Santa Barbara.

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.

Things to do in Albany?
Albany, CA is a pleasant village northeast of Berkeley featuring several spectacular spots such as Memorial Park perfect for exploring or Cerrito Creek Trail ideal for recreational activities; locals gather yearly at the remarkable Cajun & Blues Festival celebrating local culture with music and art.

 Santa Barbara, CAAlbany, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock19,958329,725,481
 Median Income$89,243  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock36.638.4
 Avg. Home Price$1,525,500  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock6.5%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time17.15  Unlock26.38
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

Reviews for Albany    4 Reviews

Albany is one of the best places to live not only in California but the USA. Niche 2023 has ranked Albany the number one suburb in California and is consistently in the  More

   |    Reply

Over 13 years ago

Like many places in the Bay Area, there are some mixed-race couples and gay couples in Albany. What is really striking, though, is the number of families where both  More

   |    Reply

Albany was originally built as a railroad workers' town. So the bad news is that nearly every house was originally two, or at most three, bedrooms with one bath, about  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Albany


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.