Santa Barbara vs Santa Cruz
Side-by-side comparison across six federal data streams. Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz tie on composite MoveScore (78).
| Metric | Santa Barbara | Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| MoveScore (Composite) | 78/100 (B) | 78/100 (B) |
| Safety (FBI UCR) | N/A | N/A |
| Violent Crime / 100k | N/A | N/A |
| Water (EPA SDWIS) | N/A | N/A |
| Air (EPA AQS median AQI) | 45 (B) | 36 (B) |
| Schools (NCES) | N/A | N/A |
| Fiscal Health (Census) | 53/100 · $139,120 pc | 55/100 · $138,595 pc |
| Hospitals (CMS HCAHPS) | 5.0/5 · 3 tracked | 5.0/5 · 3 tracked |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better place to live, Santa Barbara or Santa Cruz?
Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz tie on composite MoveScore (78). The honest answer depends on what you weight most. Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz each have different strengths across the six federal data streams — see the breakdown above and decide which trade-offs fit your priorities.
Are Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz in the same state?
Yes, both cities are in California.
Where does the data come from?
All sub-scores trace to federal government sources: FBI UCR for safety, EPA SDWIS for water, EPA AQS for air, NCES/EDFacts for schools, Census ASPEP for fiscal health, and CMS HCAHPS for hospitals.
Side-by-side comparisons use the same six federal data streams as full city profiles. Bold entries indicate the better value on each metric.