2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Santa Barbara, CA vs Solana Beach, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Solana Beach older or younger than people in Santa Barbara?
- The Median Age in Solana Beach is 7.3 years older than in Santa Barbara.

Are housing costs cheaper in Solana Beach or Santa Barbara?
- Solana Beach housing costs are 24.1% more expensive than Santa Barbara housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Solana Beach or Santa Barbara?
- The average commute for residents of Solana Beach is 6.1 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 Solana Beach?
Solana Beach, CA is an incorporated city situated north of San Diego in San Diego County with a population estimated around 13400 people living there. Solana Beach provides visitors access to Fletcher Cove Beach open 365 days a year along with many restaurants offering cuisines from Asian-fusion to classic American taking advantage of locally sourced ingredients gathered at regular farmers markets held all over town. Tourists can also find here great shopping opportunities while enjoying breathtaking views while strolling through Cedros Avenue Design District displaying works from renowned artists or experience annual Fiestas de Las Lanchas celebration honoring this community's long standing Mexican heritage making it one of the most popular destination in California.

 Santa Barbara, CASolana Beach, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock13,025329,725,481
 Median Income$89,243  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock46.438.4
 Avg. Home Price$1,525,500  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock6.9%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 Solana Beach    3 Reviews

I've lived in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Venice Beach, Hermosa Beach, San Luis Obispo, Carlsbad, Encinitas and my wife and I saved up every penny we could to buy a  More

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Rent has skyrocketed in Solana Beach in the past ten years. High rent and more people cramming into single person rental units.   More

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Over 20 years ago

Very expensive. Being from east coast it was hard because people dont speak to you in normal situations..example , picking up kids from school ..if you pass a parent  More

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