CITY
Santa Barbara
California · 86,422 residents (2025 est.) · 19.5 sq mi
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Part of the Santa Maria metro area
Notable rankings
#83Most expensive homesof 6,786$1,570,800The short version
Santa Barbara is home to 87,779 people in California. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $1,570,800. Owners hold 40% of the housing stock. 52% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Few US cities rank higher on income. Renters pay $2,413 a month at the median.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
52% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 84%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
87,779
−5%since 2000
from 92,325 in 2000
86,422 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
19.5 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202488K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(4,361)
5 to 94.3%(3,745)
10 to 145.3%(4,656)
15 to 195.8%(5,090)
20 to 247.4%(6,470)
25 to 3416.7%(14,672)
35 to 4411.2%(9,831)
45 to 5411.7%(10,254)
55 to 6412.1%(10,654)
65 to 7411.1%(9,758)
75 to 845.8%(5,115)
85 and over3.6%(3,173)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$106,182
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,498 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
63.7%
+24.1 ptssince 2009
from 39.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information9.3%
Other services6.7%
Retail trade5.3%
Wholesale trade5.1%
Public administration3.8%
Finance & insurance2.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.5%
Transportation & warehousing2.3%
Arts, entertainment, food2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.9%
Construction0.8%
Education & health services0.4%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$1,570,800
+84%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $469,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
14.8
−11%since 2009
from 16.6 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.
65
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic58.3%(53,849)
Black1.5%(1,418)
Hispanic / Latino35%(32,330)
Asian2.7%(2,467)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic52.8%(46,347)
Black1.4%(1,219)
Hispanic / Latino36.4%(31,966)
Asian3.5%(3,109)
Other5.9%(5,138)
73
+9%since 2009
from 67 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican30.4%(26,642)
Central American2.7%(2,380)
Guatemalan1.7%(1,501)
Salvadoran0.9%(750)
South American0.8%(683)
Puerto Rican0.4%(381)
Spaniard0.4%(352)
Colombian0.3%(290)
Cuban0.2%(153)
Peruvian0.2%(143)
Argentine0.1%(95)
Dominican0.1%(89)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino0.6%(547)
Vietnamese0.6%(514)
Chinese0.5%(474)
Asian Indian0.4%(384)
Korean0.4%(378)
Japanese0.4%(322)
Cambodian0.2%(189)
Taiwanese0.1%(85)
Thai0.1%(45)
Sri Lankan0%(26)
Pakistani0%(12)
Indonesian0%(11)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Hmong0%(9)
Ancestry
English11%(9,699)
German10.8%(9,499)
Irish9.4%(8,283)
Italian6.2%(5,483)
American2.4%(2,120)
Polish2.1%(1,840)
Scottish2.1%(1,823)
French1.8%(1,574)
Russian1.6%(1,412)
Norwegian1.5%(1,324)
Swedish1.2%(1,090)
Dutch1.1%(1,005)
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data
British1.1%(980)
Scotch-Irish1%(911)
Iranian0.8%(717)
Danish0.7%(613)
Hungarian0.6%(505)
Swiss0.6%(490)
Arab0.6%(483)
Ukrainian0.5%(452)
Welsh0.5%(452)
Greek0.4%(356)
Portuguese0.4%(354)
Czech0.4%(351)
Canadian0.3%(249)
Lebanese0.3%(230)
Subsaharan African0.2%(195)
French Canadian0.2%(179)
Finnish0.2%(170)
Bulgarian0.2%(159)
Lithuanian0.2%(147)
Belgian0.2%(145)
West Indian0.2%(139)
Turkish0.1%(130)
Armenian0.1%(127)
Brazilian0.1%(100)
Slovene0.1%(96)
Slovak0.1%(95)
Austrian0.1%(83)
Australian0.1%(59)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0.1%(56)
Croatian0.1%(55)
Jamaican0.1%(53)
Romanian0.1%(49)
Serbian0.1%(46)
Latvian0%(33)
Israeli0%(32)
Moroccan0%(25)
Macedonian0%(24)
Haitian0%(21)
Ethiopian0%(20)
Syrian0%(18)
Palestinian0%(12)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
89.2%
+7.8 ptssince 2000
from 81.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
78.1%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 79.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
96.9%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 95.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married43.1%(15,774)
Married47.2%(17,275)
Widowed2%(726)
Divorced7.8%(2,858)
Women 15+
Never married38.3%(14,682)
Married42%(16,115)
Widowed7%(2,675)
Divorced12.8%(4,912)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
18.3%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
0.9%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
66.6%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 66.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
37.8%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 36.5% 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)17.4%(479)
Gulf War (1990s)6.1%(169)
Vietnam era42.2%(1,163)
Korean War9.3%(257)
World War II4.4%(121)
Share of the 2,757 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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Frequently asked
How many people live in Santa Barbara, California?
Santa Barbara, California has about 87,779 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Santa Barbara, California?
The typical household in Santa Barbara, California earns about $106,182 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Santa Barbara, California expensive?
In Santa Barbara, California, the median home is worth about $1,570,800, and the typical rent is about $2,413 a month.
How educated are people in Santa Barbara, California?
About 51.9% of adults age 25 and over in Santa Barbara, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Santa Barbara, California?
About 14.0% of people in Santa Barbara, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Santa Barbara, California grown since 1990?
Yes, Santa Barbara, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,208 residents, a change of about 3 percent over that period.
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CaliforniaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024