CensusEasy
CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Isla Vista

California · 20,395 residents · 0.55 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

With 20,395 people, Isla Vista is a city in California. 53% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 20% nationally. 58.3% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The median age is 21.0, younger than the US median of 33.0. Median home value sits at $232,100. Owners hold 3% of the housing stock.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 21.0
US median: 33.0
More educated
53% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 7%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

20,395
+11%vs 2000
vs 18,344 in 2000
1990 – 2024
21.0
Unchangedvs 2000
vs 21.1 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
0.55 sq mi
Population, 19902024
12K17K21K25K29K19902000201020202024Isla Vista
202414K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 52.3%(477)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 91.5%(309)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 141.1%(220)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 1927.8%(5,671)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2449.7%(10,132)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 349.4%(1,926)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 444.1%(840)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 541.4%(277)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 640.7%(139)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 740.7%(138)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 840.6%(117)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.7%(149)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$14,215
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $16,151 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$6,007
−21%vs 2000
vs $7,644 in 2000
US average: $14,340
58.3%
−4.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 62.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$232,100
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $327,600 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$644
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $842 in 2000
US average: $450
3.3%
−1.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 4.6% in 2000
96.7% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic61.7%(11,326)
Black1.9%(341)
Hispanic / Latino20%(3,671)
Asian11.4%(2,087)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic78.3%(15,963)
Black2.5%(517)
Hispanic / Latino14.8%(3,015)
Asian12%(2,443)
Other7.2%(1,472)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican15.5%(2,158)
Salvadoran1.8%(244)
Spaniard0.9%(129)
Argentine0.3%(44)
Guatemalan0.2%(34)
Peruvian0.2%(31)
Chilean0.2%(30)
Honduran0.1%(19)
Costa Rican0.1%(10)
Colombian0.1%(10)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese5.3%(744)
Asian Indian2.7%(379)
Filipino1.9%(270)
Korean1.4%(195)
Vietnamese1.1%(159)
Japanese0.5%(70)
Taiwanese0.5%(69)
Indonesian0.3%(43)
Nepalese0.1%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan0.1%(14)
Samoan0.1%(10)
Ancestry
German9.7%(1,353)
Italian7.4%(1,033)
Irish6.3%(883)
English5.3%(734)
Swedish3.1%(428)
Arab1.7%(239)
Russian1.6%(224)
Iranian1.6%(216)
Polish1.5%(207)
Dutch1.4%(193)
Scottish1.2%(165)
Slovene1%(140)
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian1%(134)
Canadian0.9%(126)
British0.9%(120)
Armenian0.8%(114)
American0.7%(96)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(82)
Lebanese0.5%(71)
French0.5%(68)
Swiss0.4%(61)
Portuguese0.4%(49)
Austrian0.3%(44)
Australian0.3%(39)
Moroccan0.3%(38)
Egyptian0.3%(36)
Czech0.3%(36)
Ukrainian0.3%(35)
Danish0.2%(33)
Ethiopian0.2%(33)
Welsh0.2%(31)
Croatian0.2%(22)
Syrian0.2%(21)
Israeli0.1%(19)
Greek0.1%(16)
Lithuanian0.1%(16)
Belgian0.1%(14)
Romanian0.1%(14)
Hungarian0.1%(11)
West Indian0.1%(10)
Slovak0%(4)
Section 05

Education

52.9%
+13.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 39.5% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
87.5%
+11.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 75.7% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
32.6%
+9.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 22.8% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

13.4 min
+40%vs 2000
vs 9.6 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married91.8%(5,870)
Married6.1%(388)
Widowed0.3%(18)
Divorced1.8%(117)
Women 15+
Never married94.9%(7,002)
Married3.3%(247)
Widowed0.6%(45)
Divorced1.1%(84)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

4.6%
−2.5 ptssince 2013
from 7.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
55.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 55.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
37.0%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 36.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
3.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
11.4%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 0.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
85.4%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 83.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
13.3%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 13.9% 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)0%(0)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)0%(0)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era54.5%(30)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II18.2%(10)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 55 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Isla Vista

Head to head

Compare Isla Vista to nearby cities

Frequently asked

How many people live in Isla Vista, California?

Isla Vista, California has about 20,395 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Isla Vista, California?

The typical household in Isla Vista, California earns about $14,215 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Isla Vista, California expensive?

In Isla Vista, California, the median home is worth about $232,100, and the typical rent is about $644 a month.

How educated are people in Isla Vista, California?

About 52.9% of adults age 25 and over in Isla Vista, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Isla Vista, California?

About 58.3% of people in Isla Vista, California live below the federal poverty line.

Keep going

Explore from here

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

How we source and harmonize this data →