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CITY · 2010 ACS

Goleta

California · 29,888 residents · 7.85 sq mi
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The short version

With 29,888 people, Goleta is a city in California. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $767,100. There are 25,316 fewer people here than in 2000. 42% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 28% nationally. Median rent is $1,495 a month. The foreign-born share is 26%.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $52,703
Mid-age
median age 36.5
US median: 37.2
More educated
42% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 53%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
29,888
−46%since 2000
from 55,204 in 2000
2000 – 2025
Median age
36.5
−4%since 2000
from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
7.85 sq mi
Population, 2000 – 2024
27K34K42K50K58K2000201020202024Goleta
202433K
2000201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 55.5%(1,658)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 95.6%(1,676)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146%(1,800)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.9%(2,072)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 249.8%(2,919)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3414.3%(4,277)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4412.3%(3,689)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5414.8%(4,415)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6411.2%(3,334)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 746.3%(1,870)
US avg: 7%
75 to 844.7%(1,409)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over2.6%(769)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$67,895
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $60,314 in 2000
US average: $52,703
2000 – 2024
Per capita income
$32,073
+11%since 2000
from $28,890 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
45.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 46.2% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
9.1%
+2.4 ptssince 2000
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.401
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Retail trade13.2%
US avg: 10.9%
Information10.3%
US avg: 11.5%
Other services5.3%
US avg: 7%
Wholesale trade4.9%
US avg: 7.2%
Arts, entertainment, food2.6%
US avg: 2.4%
Public administration2.4%
US avg: 4.9%
Finance & insurance2.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical1.9%
US avg: 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing1.5%
US avg: 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.9%
US avg: 1.4%
Education & health services0.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$767,100
+53%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $395,100 in 2000
US average: $225,659
2000 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,495
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $989 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
53.6%
−15.8 ptssince 2000
from 69.4% in 2000
46.4% rent
Vacancy rate
3.6%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.68 people
+4%since 2009
from 2.58 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
39.1%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 41.7% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
53.1%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 56.8% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
11.3
−1%since 2009
from 11.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic67.4%(37,230)
Black1.1%(630)
Hispanic / Latino22.3%(12,326)
Asian6.4%(3,525)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic53.6%(16,020)
Black1.3%(399)
Hispanic / Latino32.9%(9,824)
Asian9%(2,681)
Other3.7%(1,091)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican26.2%(7,694)
Guatemalan0.8%(222)
Puerto Rican0.5%(137)
Argentine0.4%(126)
Salvadoran0.2%(59)
Spaniard0.2%(47)
Colombian0.1%(27)
Cuban0.1%(26)
Ecuadorian0.1%(23)
Costa Rican0.1%(21)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0%(10)
Chilean0%(8)
Ancestry
German11.7%(3,452)
Irish11.3%(3,309)
English10.9%(3,198)
Italian5.9%(1,735)
French3.2%(946)
Scottish2%(586)
Polish2%(578)
Swedish1.9%(571)
Russian1.7%(500)
Scotch-Irish1.7%(489)
Norwegian1.7%(487)
Dutch1.4%(404)
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data
Swiss1.3%(393)
American1.3%(381)
Arab1.2%(354)
Welsh1.1%(338)
Danish1.1%(316)
Lebanese0.8%(240)
Portuguese0.8%(237)
Hungarian0.6%(176)
British0.6%(168)
Iranian0.5%(160)
Czech0.5%(148)
Slovak0.5%(140)
Canadian0.4%(107)
Australian0.4%(104)
Ukrainian0.4%(103)
Austrian0.3%(86)
Serbian0.3%(77)
Greek0.2%(70)
Romanian0.2%(55)
Finnish0.2%(45)
Lithuanian0.1%(41)
Israeli0.1%(38)
Armenian0.1%(35)
Belgian0.1%(26)
Moroccan0.1%(23)
Palestinian0.1%(22)
Croatian0.1%(21)
Turkish0.1%(20)
Bulgarian0.1%(16)
Latvian0%(13)
Slovene0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
42.2%
+3.2 ptssince 2000
from 39.0% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
86.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2000
from 87.8% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
19.8%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 15.7% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
16.3 min
+54%since 2000
from 10.6 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
69.2%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 67.4% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
11.2%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
4.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
4.7%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
2.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
6.3%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
5.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
16.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
45.4%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 47.1% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
Female
49.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
Foreign born
25.9%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 23.8% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
7.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married44%(6,013)
Married47.4%(6,479)
Widowed1.5%(208)
Divorced7.1%(966)
Women 15+
Never married39.8%(5,510)
Married43%(5,949)
Widowed6.2%(861)
Divorced11%(1,530)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.6%
−3.5 ptssince 2013
from 9.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
66.1%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 63.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.2%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 16.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
15.6%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 14.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
12.9%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 14.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 1.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
78.6%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 77.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
26.6%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 28.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)13.6%(109)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.6%(149)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era40.2%(322)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War15.4%(123)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.6%(13)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 801 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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GOLETA VS
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GOLETA VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Goleta, California?

Goleta, California has about 29,888 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Goleta, California?

The typical household in Goleta, California earns about $67,895 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Goleta, California expensive?

In Goleta, California, the median home is worth about $767,100, and the typical rent is about $1,495 a month.

How educated are people in Goleta, California?

About 42.2% of adults age 25 and over in Goleta, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Goleta, California?

About 9.1% of people in Goleta, California live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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