City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Santa Maria | Thornton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,768/mo | $1,758/mo | 0.6% higher in A |
| Median home value | $438,100 | $445,200 | 1.6% lower in A |
| Median household income | $81,237 | $95,064 | 14.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 107.3 | 107.2 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 130.3 | 130.1 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 111.2 | 111.0 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 112.8 | 112.6 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Santa Maria, you'd need $99,654 in Thornton to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Santa Maria and Thornton have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Santa Maria, you'd need about $79,723 in Thornton to keep the same standard of living.