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Living in
Orcutt.
Orcutt is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, CA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Orcutt
If you're thinking about moving to Orcutt, understand that you're choosing a quiet suburban lifestyle rather than a destination with a lot of local buzz. It's a bedroom community adjacent to Santa Maria, so many residents commute out for work, though the average commute is reasonable at about 22 minutes. The median home price sits around $625,000 with median rent at $2,193—solidly middle-class for California, which is significant if you're coming from a coastal area.
Orcutt at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.0%
Foreign-Born
11.1%
Broadband Internet
94.0%
of households
Population Growth
+0.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Orcutt: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Orcutt, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (64.5%), and 19.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.6%
of residents
65 and Older
20.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
22.7%
of households
Married Couples
59.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.81
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 8% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Orcutt
In Orcutt, rent runs 8% above the CA average, and home values are 15% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,930
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
77.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1981
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.3%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Orcutt
Unemployment in Santa Barbara County, which includes Orcutt, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Orcutt: Santa Barbara County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Santa Barbara County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Orcutt Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.1 min avg
How Orcutt residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Orcutt, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 75% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 2 mi
Santa Maria Public Airport Captain G Allan Hancock Field (SMX)
Regional airport · few flights17k passengers boarded in 2025
- 132 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 34% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, which covers Orcutt, runs 34% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
215.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
689.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
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 Orcutt, 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.
85 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 Orcutt, 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, 41°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Orcutt has mild summers (avg high 73°F) and mild winters (avg low 41°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
68°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
73°/54°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
65°/41°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
13.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
6
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
9
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
47
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65°F | 41°F | 2.74" |
| Feb | 65°F | 43°F | 2.85" |
| Mar | 66°F | 44°F | 2.56" |
| Apr | 68°F | 45°F | 0.93" |
| May | 69°F | 49°F | 0.36" |
| Jun | 71°F | 52°F | 0.06" |
| Jul | 73°F | 55°F | 0.03" |
| Aug | 74°F | 55°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 75°F | 54°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 75°F | 50°F | 0.54" |
| Nov | 70°F | 44°F | 1.12" |
| Dec | 64°F | 40°F | 2.05" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Orcutt
Uninsured
5.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Orcutt's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Marian Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.3 mi away · Santa Maria
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.
Education22.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Orcutt
Orcutt's student/teacher ratio is 22.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 33.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
14
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
33.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Channel Islands National Park, 68 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Orcutt
Orcutt has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Channel Islands National Park (68 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Channel Islands National Park
National Park
68 mi awayPublic Libraries in Orcutt
Orcutt Library
175 S. Broadway, Orcutt
Cities Near Orcutt
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Orcutt?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Orcutt FAQ
Is Orcutt, California affordable?⌄
Orcutt's median rent is $2,193/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $111,416/year. Median home value is $624,500.
Is Orcutt, California safe?⌄
Orcutt is policed by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 216 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 690 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Orcutt, California?⌄
Santa Barbara County, which includes Orcutt, has an unemployment rate of 4.8%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Orcutt, California?⌄
The cost of living in Orcutt is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,193/month and median household income is $111,416/year. The median home value is $624,500. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Orcutt, California?⌄
The average commute in Orcutt is 22 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