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

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Highlights
Are people in Los Altos older or younger than people in Santa Barbara?
- The Median Age in Los Altos is 6.7 years older than in Santa Barbara.

Are housing costs cheaper in Los Altos or Santa Barbara?
- Los Altos housing costs are 144.4% more expensive than Santa Barbara housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Los Altos or Santa Barbara?
- The average commute for residents of Los Altos is 6.7 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 Los Altos?
Los Altos CA lies within Silicon Valley making this tech mecca one full of opportunity with major employers as well as attractions like Shoreline Amphitheater or even exploring one of over 50 regional parks sprinkled throughout Santa Clara County!

 Santa Barbara, CALos Altos, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock31,562329,725,481
 Median Income$89,243  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock45.838.4
 Avg. Home Price$1,525,500  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock3.9%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

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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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Reviews for Los Altos    2 Reviews

Over 17 years ago

Expensive but worth  More

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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

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