Colorado Springs CO vs Santa Clarita CA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado · Population: 483,099

  • Median HH Income$83,198
  • Median Home Price$451,202
  • Unemployment5.5%
  • Bachelor's+41.9%

Santa Clarita, CA

California · Population: 229,021

  • Median HH Income$119,926
  • Median Home Price$802,780
  • Unemployment5.3%
  • Bachelor's+39.3%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Colorado Springs
483,099
Colorado Springs +
Santa Clarita
229,021
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Colorado Springs
N/A
Santa Clarita
N/A
Median Age
Colorado Springs
35.6
Colorado Springs +
Santa Clarita
38.1
Foreign Born
Colorado Springs
7.4%
Santa Clarita
21.6%
Santa Clarita +
White
Colorado Springs
72.3%
Colorado Springs +
Santa Clarita
53.1%
Black
Colorado Springs
5.8%
Colorado Springs +
Santa Clarita
4.4%
Asian
Colorado Springs
3.0%
Santa Clarita
11.4%
Santa Clarita +
Hispanic
Colorado Springs
18.7%
Santa Clarita
36.0%
Santa Clarita +
Spanish at Home
Colorado Springs
N/A
Santa Clarita
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Colorado Springs
$83,198
Santa Clarita
$119,926
Santa Clarita +
Per Capita Income
Colorado Springs
$44,893
Santa Clarita
$49,571
Santa Clarita +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Colorado Springs
$76,653
Santa Clarita
$77,230
Santa Clarita +
Unemployment Rate
Colorado Springs
5.5%
Santa Clarita
5.3%
Santa Clarita +
Poverty Rate
Colorado Springs
9.3%
Santa Clarita
7.7%
Santa Clarita +
Bachelor's Degree+
Colorado Springs
41.9%
Colorado Springs +
Santa Clarita
39.3%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Colorado Springs
$451,202
Colorado Springs +
Santa Clarita
$802,780
Homeownership Rate
Colorado Springs
61.3%
Santa Clarita
72.0%
Santa Clarita +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
512
Santa Clarita
503
Santa Clarita +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
3234
Santa Clarita
2388
Santa Clarita +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
28.4%
Santa Clarita
24.7%
Santa Clarita +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
9.0%
Colorado Springs +
Santa Clarita
9.8%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Colorado Springs
18.0%
Santa Clarita
16.0%
Santa Clarita +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
9.9%
Santa Clarita
8.0%
Santa Clarita +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
16.5%
Colorado Springs +
Santa Clarita
16.9%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
11.0%
Santa Clarita
9.9%
Santa Clarita +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Colorado Springs
49.0°F
Santa Clarita
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Colorado Springs
16.5 in
Santa Clarita
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
6.2 µg/m³
Colorado Springs +
Santa Clarita
7.9 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Colorado Springs
75.0%
Santa Clarita
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Colorado Springs
24.1 min
Colorado Springs +
Santa Clarita
37.4 min

Which City is Right for You?

Santa Clarita leads in median household income at $119,926, while colorado Springs offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $451,202. On public safety, Santa Clarita is safer with a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 residents, compared to 512 in Colorado Springs. Santa Clarita has a lower unemployment rate at 5.3%, and Colorado Springs has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 6.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Santa Clarita scores better with a lower obesity rate of 24.7%.

Compare More Cities

About Colorado Springs & Santa Clarita