2025 Compare Cities Economy:
Santa Maria, CA vs Big Bear Lake, CA

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Highlights
- Household income in Big Bear Lake, is 11% less than it is in Santa Maria and is 5% below the National Average.
- Santa Maria unemployment rate is 11.6%.
- Big Bear Lake unemployment rate is 7.8%.
 Santa Maria, CABig Bear Lake, CAUnited States
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock7.8%6.0%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock2.3%1.6%
 Future Job Growth24.9%  Unlock33.5%
 Sales Taxes8.0%  Unlock6.2%
 Income Taxes  Unlock8.0%4.6%
 Income per Cap.$23,537  Unlock$37,638
 Household Income  Unlock$65,441$69,021
 Family Median Income$70,973  Unlock$85,028
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 Est. Households By Income
 Santa Maria, CABig Bear Lake, CAUnited States
 Income Less Than 15K  Unlock10.7%9.4%
 Income between 15K and 20K3.3%  Unlock3.8%
 Income between 20K and 30K  Unlock6.8%8.1%
 Income between 30K and 40K8.7%  Unlock8.0%
 Income between 40K and 50K  Unlock6.8%7.6%
 Income between 50K and 60K8.1%  Unlock7.2%
 Income between 60K and 75K  Unlock8.1%9.6%
 Income between 75K and 100K17.4%  Unlock12.8%
 Income between 100K and 150K  Unlock14.6%16.3%
 Income between 150K and 200K7.5%  Unlock7.8%
 Income greater than 200K  Unlock10.1%9.5%
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 Population By Occupation
 Santa Maria, CABig Bear Lake, CAUnited States
 Management, business, finance8.5%  Unlock16.4%
 Engineering, computers, science  Unlock1.1%6.5%
 Community, social services1.3%  Unlock1.8%
 Legal  Unlock0.9%1.2%
 Education, library3.5%  Unlock6.2%
 Arts, design, media, sports, entertainment  Unlock3.2%2.0%
 Healthcare practitioners and technology2.5%  Unlock6.2%
 Healthcare support  Unlock2.2%3.3%
 Firefighters, law enforcement1.8%  Unlock2.1%
 Food preparation, serving  Unlock6.0%5.4%
 Building maintenance5.0%  Unlock3.6%
 Personal care  Unlock3.8%2.6%
 Sales, office, administrative support17.2%  Unlock20.9%
 Farming, fishing, forestry  Unlock0.0%0.6%
 Construction, extraction, maintenance/repair8.5%  Unlock8.1%
 Production, transportation, material moving  Unlock15.6%13.1%
Reviews for Santa Maria    12 Reviews

Over 6 years ago

I live in Orcutt which is a town of around 35,000 on the south side of Santa Maria. Santa Maria has, as everyone has noted, the best climate in the world. It never  More

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I have lived in Santa Maria / Orcutt for several years, but it is time to leave. I have no issues with the weather. Our climate is mild and comfortable with no extremes.  More

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The weather is very mild without a huge temperature change with the seasons. The winters are chilly but not cold and the summers are warm but not hot. Of course there  More

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Reviews for Big Bear Lake    5 Reviews

Over 13 years ago

We moved to Big Bear Lake a couple of years ago from Los Angeles because of my husband's job. It is a somewhat pretty city, the lake is mirky and surrounded by trash,  More

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Over 15 years ago

Big Bear Lake, a beautiful setting in a remote mountain community in Southern California. A draw to tourists from the Los Angeles area for skiing, boating, and mountain  More

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In the San Bernardino mountains of Southern California, this little town has almost everything you would want to see and do. In the spring and summer the lake is filled  More

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