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Living in
Goleta.
About
Life in Goleta
Goleta offers a coastal California lifestyle with serious financial requirements and a car-dependent setup that's worth understanding upfront. Homes median around $1 million and rent averages $2,437 per month, which is steep but reflects the proximity to UC Santa Barbara and the tech sector jobs that come with it—the median household income of $122,370 shows the area attracts educated professionals. The job market is solid with unemployment at 3.1%, and your commute averages under 19 minutes if you're working locally.
Goleta at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.3%
Foreign-Born
23.0%
Broadband Internet
94.4%
of households
Population Growth
-0.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics23.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Goleta: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Goleta, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (45.6%), and 22.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.9%
of residents
65 and Older
16.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
22.1%
of households
Married Couples
44.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.63
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 20% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Goleta
In Goleta, rent runs 20% above the CA average, and home values are 45% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,451
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
50.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1973
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,349,075 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.4 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Goleta
Unemployment in Goleta is 2.4 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Goleta Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.8 min avg
How Goleta residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Goleta, most residents drive alone to work (61%), and 87% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 1 mi
Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)
Small hub740k passengers boarded in 2025
- 85 mi
Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)
Medium hub3.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 88 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.
Safetyviolent crime 38% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Goleta runs 38% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
205.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,160.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Goleta 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 Goleta, 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.
76 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Santa Barbara County, county-wide
Air Quality52 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Santa Barbara County, which includes Goleta, 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
Climate73°F summers, 42°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Goleta has mild summers (avg high 73°F) and mild winters (avg low 42°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
68°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
73°/57°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
64°/42°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
17.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
3
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
5
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
39
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°F | 41°F | 3.84" |
| Feb | 64°F | 44°F | 3.86" |
| Mar | 66°F | 46°F | 3.10" |
| Apr | 68°F | 48°F | 0.91" |
| May | 69°F | 51°F | 0.42" |
| Jun | 70°F | 55°F | 0.11" |
| Jul | 73°F | 58°F | 0.02" |
| Aug | 75°F | 58°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 74°F | 56°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 73°F | 51°F | 0.73" |
| Nov | 69°F | 44°F | 1.27" |
| Dec | 64°F | 40°F | 2.91" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Goleta
Goleta has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Santa Barbara County Psychiatric Health Facility
Psychiatric · 4.6 mi away · Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.8 mi away · Santa Barbara
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.
Education21.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Goleta
Goleta's student/teacher ratio is 21.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 49.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
49.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Goleta (within 15 miles)
University of California-Santa Barbara
1.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 23,113 students · in-state tuition $16,989 · 88% graduate · median earnings $82,568 (10 yrs after entry)
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, 31 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Goleta
Goleta has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Channel Islands National Park (31 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Channel Islands National Park
National Park
31 mi awaySanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
66 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
92 mi awayPublic Libraries in Goleta
Goleta Valley Library
500 N. Fairview Ave., Goleta
Cities Near Goleta
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Goleta?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Goleta FAQ
Is Goleta, California affordable?⌄
Goleta's median rent is $2,437/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $122,370/year. Median home value is $1,062,100.
Is Goleta, California safe?⌄
Goleta's violent crime rate was 206 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1161 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Goleta, California?⌄
Goleta has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Goleta, California?⌄
The cost of living in Goleta is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,437/month and median household income is $122,370/year. The median home value is $1,062,100. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Goleta, California?⌄
The average commute in Goleta is 18 minutes, which is shorter than 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