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Montecito vs Toro Canyon

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: street grid (5.4× in Montecito) and growth since 2010 (+25.3 pts in Toro Canyon).

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Montecito, CAHomes around $5.6MCalifornia · 9,031 people
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Toro Canyon, CAA regional job hubCalifornia · 1,477 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

MontecitoHomes around $5.6M
Housing$5.6M typical home633% above the CA typical home Schools#1 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 97%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Montecito →
Toro CanyonA regional job hub
Work1,078 jobsbased in Toro Canyon, a regional job hub HealthHealthier than 88%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates College town1 collegePacifica Graduate Institute All about Toro Canyon →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Street grid5.4×
Montecito has the more walkable street grid
Montecito 22.3Toro Canyon 4.1
Growth since 2010+25.3 pts
Toro Canyon has grown faster since 2010
Toro Canyon +21.7%Montecito -3.6%
Household income+64%
Households in Montecito earn more
Montecito $231,005Toro Canyon $140,743
Size6.1×
Montecito is the bigger place
Montecito 9,031Toro Canyon 1,477
Rent+61%
Rent runs higher in Montecito
Montecito $3,501Toro Canyon $2,179
Median age16.9 yrs
Toro Canyon skews older
Toro Canyon 66.9Montecito 50
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $20,400 more a month in Montecito

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Montecito$31,720/mo
Typical home $5.6M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.50%+ · or rent about $3,501/mo · Housing →
Toro Canyon$11,320/mo
Typical home $2M (Census) · tax rate 0.50%+ · or rent about $2,179/mo · Housing →

The difference: $20,400 a month, about $244,800 a year, between Montecito and Toro Canyon.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value; “+” means the Census top-codes that town’s bill at $10,000, so its real rate is higher.

Where they are

Montecito and Toro Canyon share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

MontecitoToro CanyonMontecitoToro Canyon
Montecito ↔ Toro Canyon4.0 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
16 Toro Canyon residents work in Montecito (2.9% of its workers)
Work & commute in Toro Canyon →
Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
A+MontecitoBetter than 99% of districts in the state –Toro CanyonNot graded
Health
A+MontecitoHealthier than 97% of U.S. towns AToro CanyonHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
MontecitoToro Canyon
Snow a year0″0″
January low47°F47°F
July high76°F76°F
Growing season (days)365d365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)96th99th
Outdoors & history
MontecitoToro Canyon
Trails14 mi5 mi
Conserved land1.2%2%
National Register places3—
Community
MontecitoToro Canyon
Library hours a week36 hrs—
Colleges in town—1
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

MontecitoToro Canyon
People
Population 9,031Highest 1,477Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.6%Lowest CA: +6.1% +21.7%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 50±5.7Lowest 32% above CA 66.9±6.3Highest 77% above CA
Kids under 18 14.8%±2.1Highest CA: 22% 13.6%±6Lowest CA: 22%
Montecito and Toro Canyon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 33.5%±3.4Lowest CA: 15.7% 52.5%±5.9Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 76.3%Highest CA: 37.1% 64.7%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 18.2%±3.6Highest CA: 7.6% 2.4%±2.4Lowest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $231,005±$10kHighest 133% above CA $140,743±$20kLowest 42% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $2,000,001 172% above CA $2,000,001 172% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $3,501Highest 72% above CA $2,179±$861Lowest 7% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $10,000+ at least 95% above CA $10,000+ at least 95% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52.5%±11.8Lowest CA: 55.3% 56%±21.2Highest CA: 55.3%
Toro Canyon and Montecito are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.3%Highest CA: 12% 6%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 75.8%Lowest CA: 55.9% 85.9%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than CA 1976Highest same as CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 36% below CA 27 minHighest 8% below CA
Work from home 33.9%±6.2Highest CA: 17.2% 22.2%±10.4Lowest CA: 17.2%
Montecito and Toro Canyon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.8%Highest 5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 mi 11.3 mi
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.25Lowest 1.92Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Santa Barbara (31%)Santa Barbara (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Toro Canyon3% work in Montecito
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.2%Lowest 2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 14.2 miHighest 4.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 22.3Highest 4.1Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #1 of 574 in CA—
School district Cold Spring Elementary · Montecito Union Elementary—
High school in town None in town—
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Montecito neighborsTown Square →

1 neighbor in Montecito can answer.

Toro Canyon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Toro Canyon’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Montecito and Toro Canyon

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Montecito

+ Compare
Santa Barbara87,779 people · $1.57M homes
+ Compare
Summerland1,348 people · $2M homes

Towns like Montecito

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Tiburon9,012 people · $2M homes
C
+ Compare
Corte Madera10,077 people · $1.76M homes
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Malibu10,421 people · $2M homes
+ Compare
Mill Valley14,012 people · $2M homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks California towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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