2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Santa Barbara, CA vs Menlo Park, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Menlo Park older or younger than people in Santa Barbara?
- The Median Age in Menlo Park is 0.7 years younger than in Santa Barbara.

Are housing costs cheaper in Menlo Park or Santa Barbara?
- Menlo Park housing costs are 62.3% more expensive than Santa Barbara housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Menlo Park or Santa Barbara?
- The average commute for residents of Menlo Park is 7.9 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 Menlo Park?
Menlo Park, CA is known for being one of Silicon Valley's most innovative cities due to its phenomenal growth in business communities over the decades. Located only 30 minutes from San Francisco Bay Area beaches, it provides ample recreational activities like kayaking or sail boating plus plenty of shopping options thanks to its unique boutiques and diverse culture

 Santa Barbara, CAMenlo Park, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock33,677329,725,481
 Median Income$89,243  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock38.438.4
 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 Menlo Park    5 Reviews

Over 10 years ago

Cost of living is beyond absurdly  More

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Very nice. Good connection to San Francisco or San Jose or any city in between via Caltrain or bus. Weather can't be  More

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My 14mo daughter, wife and I live in Menlo Park, CA which is approximately half way between San Francisco and San Jose. To afford an upper middle class quality of life  More

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