Santa Clarita, CA vs Whittier, CA

Whittier is moderately more affordable than Santa Clarita, with a 11.1% lower cost of living index. Santa Clarita scores 175 compared to 157 for Whittier, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Santa Clarita can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Santa Clarita is $2,486/month compared to $1,829/month in Whittier — a 36% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Whittier has cheaper rent, Santa Clarita actually has lower median home values ($721,000 vs $751,700).

Median household income in Santa Clarita is $119,926 compared to $92,374 in Whittier (+29.8%). While Santa Clarita is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Santa Clarita spend roughly 24.9% of their income on rent, more than the 23.8% in Whittier.