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Living in
Carpinteria.
About
Life in Carpinteria
Carpinteria is a community of 13,100 people in California. The median household income is $100,658, median rent runs about $2,377 per month, and median home values are around $1,043,100. The unemployment rate is 4.8%.
Carpinteria at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
44.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.0%
Foreign-Born
21.9%
Broadband Internet
95.8%
of households
Population Growth
-4.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics21.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Carpinteria: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Carpinteria, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (69.5%), and 32.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.1%
of residents
65 and Older
24.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.4%
of households
Married Couples
54.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.53
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 17% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Carpinteria
In Carpinteria, rent runs 17% above the CA average, and home values are 42% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
63.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
34.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,258
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
61.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1975
median year built
Vacant Homes
15.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,530,841 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Carpinteria
Unemployment in Santa Barbara County, which includes Carpinteria, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Carpinteria: Santa Barbara County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Santa Barbara County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Carpinteria is about 3% of Santa Barbara County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Carpinteria Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.9 min avg
How Carpinteria residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Carpinteria, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 66% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 18 mi
Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)
Small hub740k passengers boarded in 2025
- 67 mi
Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)
Medium hub3.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 71 mi
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Major hub36.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Carpinteria is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
328.5
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,259.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Carpinteria Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
99.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Santa Barbara County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Santa Barbara County, which includes Carpinteria, the most common type is high wind, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | High Wind | $2,000 |
| 2024 | 13 | Flash Flood | $20,000 |
| 2023 | 18 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 3 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 4 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 2 | Flash Flood | $617.0M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
72 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Santa Barbara County, county-wide
Carpinteria is about 3% of Santa Barbara County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality52 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Santa Barbara County, which includes Carpinteria, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
52
Good Days
164
per year
Moderate Days
201
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Santa Barbara County, county-wide
Carpinteria is about 3% of Santa Barbara County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate76°F summers, 47°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Carpinteria has mild summers (avg high 76°F) and warm winters (avg low 47°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
70°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
76°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/55°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
67°/47°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
19.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
5
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
40
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°F | 47°F | 4.43" |
| Feb | 67°F | 47°F | 4.41" |
| Mar | 68°F | 49°F | 3.20" |
| Apr | 71°F | 51°F | 1.01" |
| May | 72°F | 54°F | 0.41" |
| Jun | 73°F | 57°F | 0.14" |
| Jul | 76°F | 60°F | 0.01" |
| Aug | 78°F | 60°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 78°F | 60°F | 0.05" |
| Oct | 76°F | 56°F | 0.84" |
| Nov | 71°F | 50°F | 1.40" |
| Dec | 66°F | 46°F | 3.07" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Carpinteria
Uninsured
5.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Carpinteria's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.5 mi away · Santa Barbara
Aurora Vista Del Mar Hospital
Psychiatric · 14 mi away · Ventura
Community Memorial Hospital - Ojai
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 14.9 mi away · Ojai
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Carpinteria
Carpinteria's student/teacher ratio is 17.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 44.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
44.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Carpinteria
Private for-profit · 4-year · 370 students · in-state tuition $15,195 · 66% graduate
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 9,889 students · in-state tuition $1,242 · 31% graduate · median earnings $53,616 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Channel Islands National Park, 35 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Carpinteria
Carpinteria has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Channel Islands National Park (35 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Channel Islands National Park
National Park
35 mi awaySanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
47 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
80 mi awayPublic Libraries in Carpinteria
Carpinteria Community Library
5141 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria
Cities Near Carpinteria
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Carpinteria?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Carpinteria FAQ
Is Carpinteria, California affordable?⌄
Carpinteria's median rent is $2,377/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $100,658/year. Median home value is $1,043,100.
Is Carpinteria, California safe?⌄
Carpinteria's violent crime rate was 329 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1259 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Carpinteria, California?⌄
Santa Barbara County, which includes Carpinteria, has an unemployment rate of 4.8%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Carpinteria, California?⌄
The cost of living in Carpinteria is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,377/month and median household income is $100,658/year. The median home value is $1,043,100. About 64% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Carpinteria, California?⌄
The average commute in Carpinteria is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from