2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Santa Barbara, CA vs Palo Alto, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Palo Alto older or younger than people in Santa Barbara?
- The Median Age in Palo Alto is 2.7 years older than in Santa Barbara.

Are housing costs cheaper in Palo Alto or Santa Barbara?
- Palo Alto housing costs are 103.7% more expensive than Santa Barbara housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Palo Alto or Santa Barbara?
- The average commute for residents of Palo Alto is 7.1 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 Palo Alto?
Palo Alto, California is a vibrant city nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley. Home to Stanford University and various tech giants such as Google, Apple, and Facebook, it has long been known as the epicenter for cutting-edge technology and innovative thinking. Residents here enjoy warm weather year round, excellent public schools, a thriving nightlife scene, plus vast amounts of green space perfect for hiking, biking or horseback riding. There's also no shortage of culture with world class museums and galleries showcasing some of the area’s most celebrated artworks. With its abundant resources and booming economy, Palo Alto truly offers something for everyone!

 Santa Barbara, CAPalo Alto, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock68,624329,725,481
 Median Income$89,243  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock41.838.4
 Avg. Home Price$1,525,500  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock3.5%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

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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 Palo Alto    8 Reviews

The Bay Area in general, but Palo Alto specifically provides many of the qualities sought by many; the climate is beautiful, there is access to cultural and recreational  More

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Over 17 years ago

Very  More

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Over 18 years ago

VTA and SamsTrans and Caltrain all provide good service and most times frequency of service is  More

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