2026 Compare Cities Job Market:
Santa Barbara, CA vs Austin, TX

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Highlights
- Job Growth in Austin has been positive.
- Austin has 1.0% less unemployment than Santa Barbara.
- Austin job growth has increased by 25.5% in the past 10 years.
 Santa Barbara, CAAustin, TXUnited States
 Current Unemployment  Unlock5.1%6.0%
 Future Job Growth28.2%  Unlock33.5%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock-3.3%-6.2%
 3 Yr. Job Growth-2.9%  Unlock-3.6%
 5 Yr. Job Growth  Unlock6.1%-0.7%
 10 Yr. Job Growth2.7%  Unlock6.3%
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 5 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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Reviews for Austin    449 Reviews

Over 2 years ago

Good place to visit.  More

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Austin is too expensive. Let's get that out of the way. Other than that it is a fun city. Ladybird Lake makes the city, imo. The ability to stand up paddle, kayak, walk  More

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The city continues to grow quickly, which a lot of people don't like. I get it, you fall in love with a city, and it's growing so fast that you don't recognize the same  More

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