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
median household income $106,182, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Santa Barbara
What changed most since 1990
White share64.0% → 52.8%(−11.2 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Santa Barbara's population equals 20% of Santa Barbara County's. Its number of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher equals 32% of the county's. Its number of people who work from home equals 31% of the county's.
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)6.1%(169)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era42.2%(1,163)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War9.3%(257)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II4.4%(121)
US avg: 1%
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
Over time
Santa Barbara, decade by decade
Santa Barbara population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
85,571
$80,803
$829,944
33.1%
61.7
2000
92,325
$86,525
$854,903
39.6%
67.0
2010
88,410
$88,709
$1,394,263
42.3%
69.2
2020
88,665
$98,924
$1,311,790
50.1%
72.5
2024
87,779
$106,182
$1,570,800
51.9%
73.0
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
