Cost of living in the Santa Maria Metro Area
1 counties across CA. Population: 443,975.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Santa Maria Metro Area
Average rent across the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Santa Maria Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 1 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Santa Maria Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Santa Maria Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 1 counties in the Santa Maria Metro Area
The Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area includes 1 counties. Sorted by population.
Compare counties in the Santa Maria Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Santa Maria Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Santa Maria Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area is approximately $4,643 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 1 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Santa Maria Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area is $2,688 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Santa Maria Metro Area?
Santa Barbara County, CA is the most affordable county in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area at approximately $4,643 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Santa Maria Metro Area?
Santa Barbara County, CA is the most expensive county in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area at approximately $4,643 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Santa Maria Metro Area?
The Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area covers 1 counties. The five largest by population are Santa Barbara County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.