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Living in
Santa Barbara.
About
Life in Santa Barbara
If you're seriously considering Santa Barbara, understand upfront that you're looking at one of California's most expensive real estate markets—median home values top $1.4 million and rent averages $2,413 monthly—so this works best if you have solid income or existing wealth. The job market is stable with 3.4% unemployment and opportunities in government, healthcare, education, and tech sectors, though salaries typically need to match the cost of living. Weather is genuinely exceptional: Mediterranean climate with mild winters around 63-69°F and summers hitting 72-84°F, ranked number one in the nation by U.S.
Santa Barbara at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.0%
Foreign-Born
19.9%
Broadband Internet
93.9%
of households
Population Growth
-2.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics19.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Santa Barbara: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Santa Barbara, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (52.1%), and 25.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
17.7%
of residents
65 and Older
20.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.6%
of households
Married Couples
39.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.36
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 19% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Santa Barbara
In Santa Barbara, rent runs 19% above the CA average, and home values are 114% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,498
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
39.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1965
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,805,649 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.1 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Santa Barbara
Unemployment in Santa Barbara is 2.1 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 Santa Barbara Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.3 min avg
How Santa Barbara residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Santa Barbara, most residents drive alone to work (61%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)
Small hub740k passengers boarded in 2025
- 78 mi
Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)
Medium hub3.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 81 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 92% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Santa Barbara runs 92% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
633.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,666.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara, 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.
73 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 Santa Barbara, 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
Climate76°F summers, 47°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Santa Barbara 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" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Santa Barbara 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
Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.8 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.
Education18.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara's student/teacher ratio is 18.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 51.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
22
within city limits
Private Schools
10
within city limits
College Degree Rate
51.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Santa Barbara
Public · 2-year · 9,889 students · in-state tuition $1,242 · 31% graduate · median earnings $53,616 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
University of California-Santa Barbara
7.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 23,113 students · in-state tuition $16,989 · 88% graduate · median earnings $82,568 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 370 students · in-state tuition $15,195 · 66% graduate
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 Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara 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
58 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
87 mi awayPublic Libraries in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara County Law Library
1100 Anacapa St, 2nd Fl., Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Public Library
40 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara
Eastside Library
1102 E. Montecito St., Santa Barbara
Cities Near Santa Barbara
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Santa Barbara?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Santa Barbara FAQ
Is Santa Barbara, California affordable?⌄
Santa Barbara's median rent is $2,413/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $106,182/year. Median home value is $1,570,800.
Is Santa Barbara, California safe?⌄
Santa Barbara's violent crime rate was 634 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1667 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Santa Barbara, California?⌄
Santa Barbara has an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Santa Barbara, California?⌄
The cost of living in Santa Barbara is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,413/month and median household income is $106,182/year. The median home value is $1,570,800. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Santa Barbara, California?⌄
The average commute in Santa Barbara is 17 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