Passaic, NJ vs Santa Barbara, CA

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Passaic

65

#1661 nationally

vs

Santa Barbara

59.8

#1944 nationally

Passaic leads in cost of living index (129 vs 225). Santa Barbara leads in median household income ($98,346 vs $57,832). Santa Barbara leads in average commute (17.6 min vs 25.1 min).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric Passaic, NJ Santa Barbara, CA
WhereAtHome Score 65 (#1661) 59.8 (#1944)
Population 68,903 86,499
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $560,282 $1,848,325
Median Household Income $57,832 $98,346
Average Commute 25.1 min 17.6 min
Walk Score 82 61
Crime Level 19.7 17.8
School Rating N/A N/A
Cost of Living Index 129 225
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored R+2.9 D+26.7