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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Santa Barbara

California · 85,571 residents · 19.5 sq mi
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The short version

Santa Barbara is a city of 85,571 people in California. Median home value sits at $345,800. 42% of homes are owner-occupied. 33% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 20% nationally. Renters pay $715 a month at the median. Headcount has barely moved since 2000.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 33.9
US median: 33.0
More educated
33% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
85,571
−7%vs 2000
vs 92,325 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
33.9
−2%vs 2000
vs 34.6 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
19.5 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
85K87K89K91K93K19902000201020202024Santa Barbara
202488K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.2%(5,303)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 95.3%(4,515)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 144%(3,460)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 195.3%(4,498)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 249.9%(8,483)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3421.4%(18,329)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4416.1%(13,819)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 548.4%(7,190)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 647.2%(6,173)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 747.6%(6,481)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 846.2%(5,271)
US avg: 4%
85 and over2.4%(2,049)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$33,667
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $47,498 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$18,934
−28%vs 2000
vs $26,466 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
12.7%
−0.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 13.4% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$345,800
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $469,300 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$715
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $936 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
42.2%
+0.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 42.0% in 2000
57.8% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic58.3%(53,849)
Black1.5%(1,418)
Hispanic / Latino35%(32,330)
Asian2.7%(2,467)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic77.6%(66,415)
Black2.5%(2,174)
Hispanic / Latino31%(26,500)
Asian2.3%(1,929)
Other17.6%(15,053)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican30.4%(26,642)
Central American2.7%(2,380)
Guatemalan1.7%(1,501)
Salvadoran0.9%(750)
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
Ecuadorian0.1%(89)
Nicaraguan0.1%(81)
Honduran0%(41)
Chilean0%(7)
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)
Pakistani0%(12)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Hmong0%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(97)
Samoan0%(1)
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)
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)
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)
Croatian0.1%(55)
Jamaican0.1%(53)
Romanian0.1%(49)
Serbian0.1%(46)
Latvian0%(33)
Israeli0%(32)
Moroccan0%(25)
Haitian0%(21)
Ethiopian0%(20)
Syrian0%(18)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
33.1%
−6.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 39.6% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
79.1%
−2.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 81.3% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
12.7%
−2.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 15.6% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
16.9 min
+50%vs 2000
vs 11.3 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 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

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
8.2%
−12.9 ptssince 2013
from 21.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
50.9%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 50.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
18.3%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.6%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
21.1%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 19.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
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)
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
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SANTA BARBARA VS
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SANTA BARBARA VS
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SANTA BARBARA VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Santa Barbara, California?

Santa Barbara, California has about 85,571 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Santa Barbara, California?

The typical household in Santa Barbara, California earns about $33,667 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 $345,800, and the typical rent is about $715 a month.

How educated are people in Santa Barbara, California?

About 33.1% 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 12.7% of people in Santa Barbara, California live below the federal poverty line.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →