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Living in
Lompoc.
About
Life in Lompoc
Lompoc offers an interesting middle ground if you're seeking lower housing costs than Santa Barbara but don't want to live too far inland. A median home value around $472,900 and median rent of $1,589 make it genuinely more accessible than the coastal communities nearby, though prices have been climbing. If you work in Santa Barbara or Goleta, expect a roughly 28-minute commute, which is why many professionals have migrated here over the past couple decades.
Lompoc at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.3%
Foreign-Born
24.2%
Broadband Internet
90.2%
of households
Population Growth
-2.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics24.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Lompoc: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lompoc, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (79.0%), and 42.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.1%
of residents
65 and Older
13.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.8%
of households
Married Couples
42.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.86
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 22% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Lompoc
In Lompoc, rent runs 22% below the CA average, and home values are 36% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,737
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
49.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1976
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $592,450 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CA
Unemployment in Lompoc
Unemployment in Lompoc is close to the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Lompoc Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute27.6 min avg
How Lompoc residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lompoc, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 57% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 18 mi
Santa Maria Public Airport Captain G Allan Hancock Field (SMX)
Regional airport · few flights17k passengers boarded in 2025
- 126 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 22% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Lompoc runs 22% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
402.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,067.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Lompoc 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 Lompoc, 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.
74 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 Lompoc, 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
Climate72°F summers, 43°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lompoc has mild summers (avg high 72°F) and mild winters (avg low 43°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
68°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
72°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
64°/43°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
15.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
5
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
4
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
47
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65°F | 43°F | 3.29" |
| Feb | 65°F | 44°F | 3.66" |
| Mar | 67°F | 46°F | 2.80" |
| Apr | 68°F | 47°F | 0.90" |
| May | 69°F | 51°F | 0.34" |
| Jun | 71°F | 53°F | 0.06" |
| Jul | 73°F | 56°F | 0.02" |
| Aug | 73°F | 56°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 75°F | 55°F | 0.05" |
| Oct | 74°F | 51°F | 0.67" |
| Nov | 70°F | 46°F | 1.21" |
| Dec | 63°F | 42°F | 2.40" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lompoc
Lompoc has 1 hospital, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
9.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
Lompoc Valley Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education21.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lompoc
Lompoc's student/teacher ratio is 21.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 13.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
13.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Channel Islands National Park, 57 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lompoc
Lompoc has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Channel Islands National Park (57 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Channel Islands National Park
National Park
57 mi awayPublic Libraries in Lompoc
Lompoc Public Library
501 E. North Ave., Lompoc
Cities Near Lompoc
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Lompoc?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Lompoc FAQ
Is Lompoc, California affordable?⌄
Lompoc's median rent is $1,589/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $72,004/year. Median home value is $472,900.
Is Lompoc, California safe?⌄
Lompoc's violent crime rate was 403 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1068 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lompoc, California?⌄
Lompoc has an unemployment rate of 5.3%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lompoc, California?⌄
The cost of living in Lompoc is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,589/month and median household income is $72,004/year. The median home value is $472,900. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lompoc, California?⌄
The average commute in Lompoc is 28 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