United States › California › Santa Barbara CITY · 2010 ACS
Santa Barbara California · 88,410 residents · 19.5 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
With 88,410 people, Santa Barbara is a city in California. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $969,200. Owners hold 39% of the housing stock. 42% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 28% nationally. Renters pay $1,373 a month at the median. 24% of locals were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $52,703
Mid-age
median age 36.8
US median: 37.2
More educated
42% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 63%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 34.6 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
85K 87K 89K 91K 93K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Santa Barbara Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $61,665
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,498 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $26,466 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 39.6% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 13.4% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Public administration 4.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1%
Education & health services 0.4%
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$969,200
+63%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $469,300 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$1,373
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $936 in 2000
US average: $853
from 42.0% in 2000
61.1% rent
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.35 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 43.3% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 56.4% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 16.6 in 2009
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-Hispanic 58.3%(53,849)
Hispanic / Latino 35%(32,330)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 54.8%(48,417)
Hispanic / Latino 38%(33,591)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data from 39.6% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 81.3% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 15.6% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.3 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 65.3% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 42.3% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 43.1%(15,774)
Women 15+
Never married 38.3%(14,682)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 21.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 66.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
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)
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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Santa Barbara Head to head
Compare Santa Barbara to nearby cities SANTA BARBARA VS
Montecito
Income $231,005 +275%
Home value $2,000,001 +106%
Population 9,031 −90%
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SANTA BARBARA VS
Eastern Goleta Valley
Income $146,284 +137%
Home value $1,361,700 +40%
Population 28,295 −67%
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SANTA BARBARA VS
University of California-Santa Barbara
Income $69,327 +12%
Home value $452,900 −53%
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SANTA BARBARA VS
Isla Vista
Income $25,972 −58%
Home value $1,218,800 +26%
Population 13,920 −84%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Santa Barbara, California? Santa Barbara, California has about 88,410 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Santa Barbara, California? The typical household in Santa Barbara, California earns about $61,665 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 $969,200, and the typical rent is about $1,373 a month.
How educated are people in Santa Barbara, California? About 42.3% 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 14.1% 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 2,839 residents, a change of about 3 percent over that period.
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