2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Seaside, CA vs Santa Barbara, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Santa Barbara older or younger than people in Seaside?
- The Median Age in Santa Barbara is 5.2 years older than in Seaside.

Are housing costs cheaper in Santa Barbara or Seaside?
- Santa Barbara housing costs are 110.3% more expensive than Seaside housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Santa Barbara or Seaside?
- The average commute for residents of Santa Barbara is 3.2 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Seaside.

Things to do in Seaside?
Seaside CA is located on California’s northern coast near Monterey Bay offering stunning views of nature combined with family friendly attractions from art galleries to pier strolling.

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.

 Seaside, CASanta Barbara, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock89,132329,725,481
 Median Income$74,140  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock39.138.4
 Avg. Home Price$725,300  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.1%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time20.32  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Seaside    4 Reviews

Over 4 years ago

I’ve lived in Seaside for the past 20 years and I love it. I’m a fourth generation Monterey Bay family. Seaside hands down has the best views in the Monterey Bay. It’s a  More

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Over 15 years ago

Housing in Seaside is more affordable than it was, mainly due to the bursting of the housing bubble. There are still problems, though, mainly because of the huge number  More

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Over 19 years ago

unless you went to grad school, or are already rich, don't expect to be able to get a nice house here. You'll be house-poor(not able to afford anything outside of your  More

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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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