Santa Maria, CA vs Thousand Oaks, CA

Thousand Oaks is safer with a higher safety score by 21 points. Santa Maria, CA has a safety score of 61/100 while Thousand Oaks, CA has 82/100, based on FBI Uniform Crime Report data.

Santa Maria, CA has a violent crime rate of 660.6 per 100,000 residents, while Thousand Oaks, CA has 102.2 per 100,000. Lower rates indicate safer communities. The national average is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Santa Maria, CA has a property crime rate of 1882.7 per 100,000, compared to 1020.7 per 100,000 in Thousand Oaks, CA. Property crimes include burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft.

Safety scores range from 0-100, combining violent crime rates, property crime rates, and population data from the FBI UCR. Higher scores mean safer cities. Grades: A (80+), B (65-79), C (50-64), D (40-49), F (below 40).

Based on crime data alone, Thousand Oaks is safer. However, safety is just one factor — also consider cost of living, job market, schools, and quality of life. Visit our city pages for more details on each.