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Living in
Santa Paula.
About
Life in Santa Paula
Santa Paula offers an affordable slice of agricultural California with a median home value around $611,200 and median household income of $79,294, making it more accessible than many Southern California communities. The economy centers on agriculture—oranges, lemons, and avocados—so you're living in genuine farm country, not a tourist approximation of it. Main Street has character with older homes and local businesses, though you'll need to travel to neighboring cities for major shopping and retail; the 27-minute average commute is real for most jobs.
Santa Paula at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.2%
Foreign-Born
31.4%
Broadband Internet
90.7%
of households
Population Growth
+3.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics31.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Santa Paula: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Santa Paula, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (90.9%), and 64.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.9%
of residents
65 and Older
14.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
39.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
18.9%
of households
Married Couples
50.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.24
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 15% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Santa Paula
In Santa Paula, rent runs 15% below the CA average, and home values are 17% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
56.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
110.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,024
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
55.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1970
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $710,136 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.1 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Santa Paula
Unemployment in Santa Paula is 2.1 percentage points higher than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Santa Paula Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute27.5 min avg
How Santa Paula residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Santa Paula, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 55% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 41 mi
Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)
Medium hub3.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 47 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 5% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Santa Paula runs 5% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
346.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
652.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Santa Paula Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
99.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Ventura County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Ventura County, which includes Santa Paula, the most common type is high wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | High Wind | $2,000 |
| 2024 | 12 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 15 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 3 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 1 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 3 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2018 | 1 | Flash Flood | None reported |
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.
130 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Ventura County, county-wide
Santa Paula is about 4% of Ventura County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality50 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Ventura County, which includes Santa Paula, is typically good — 190 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
50
Good Days
190
per year
Moderate Days
167
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Ventura County, county-wide
Santa Paula is about 4% of Ventura County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate77°F summers, 45°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Santa Paula has mild summers (avg high 77°F) and mild winters (avg low 45°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
70°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
77°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
76°/54°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
68°/45°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
16.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.1"
Hot Days/Year
9
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
36
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°F | 45°F | 2.85" |
| Feb | 68°F | 46°F | 2.90" |
| Mar | 69°F | 47°F | 2.00" |
| Apr | 71°F | 49°F | 0.64" |
| May | 72°F | 53°F | 0.33" |
| Jun | 75°F | 57°F | 0.13" |
| Jul | 78°F | 60°F | 0.02" |
| Aug | 80°F | 61°F | 0.00" |
| Sep | 80°F | 59°F | 0.06" |
| Oct | 76°F | 54°F | 0.50" |
| Nov | 73°F | 49°F | 0.87" |
| Dec | 68°F | 44°F | 1.71" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Santa Paula
Uninsured
10.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Santa Paula's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
St Johns Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.9 mi away · Oxnard
Ventura County Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12 mi away · Ventura
Community Memorial Hospital - Ventura
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.3 mi away · Ventura
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.
Education21.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Santa Paula
Santa Paula's student/teacher ratio is 21.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 15.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
15.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Santa Paula (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 12,082 students · in-state tuition $1,416 · 35% graduate · median earnings $52,317 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 10,150 students · in-state tuition $1,416 · 31% graduate · median earnings $46,592 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 6,240 students · in-state tuition $1,416 · 29% graduate · median earnings $46,485 (10 yrs after entry)
California Lutheran University
13.9 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 2,296 students · in-state tuition $54,480 · 77% graduate · median earnings $77,620 (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: Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 24 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Santa Paula
Santa Paula has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (24 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
24 mi awayChannel Islands National Park
National Park
55 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
67 mi awayPublic Libraries in Santa Paula
Blanchard Community Library
119 N. Eighth St., Santa Paula
Cities Near Santa Paula
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Santa Paula?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Santa Paula FAQ
Is Santa Paula, California affordable?⌄
Santa Paula's median rent is $1,736/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $79,294/year. Median home value is $611,200.
Is Santa Paula, California safe?⌄
Santa Paula's violent crime rate was 346 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 652 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Santa Paula, California?⌄
Santa Paula has an unemployment rate of 7.6%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Santa Paula, California?⌄
The cost of living in Santa Paula is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,736/month and median household income is $79,294/year. The median home value is $611,200. About 57% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Santa Paula, California?⌄
The average commute in Santa Paula 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