Santa Maria is home to 110,462 people in California. This skews young, with a median age of 29.3. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. 33% of residents were born outside the United States. The population is up 43% since 2000. Owners hold 50% of the housing stock.
At a glance
Average income
median household income $84,746, near the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 29.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 108%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Santa Maria
What changed most since 1990
Hispanic share45.5% → 79.1%(+33.5 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
White share46.6% → 13.8%(−32.7 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree10.7% → 15.7%(+5.0 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Santa Maria's population equals 25% of Santa Barbara County's. Its number of people who work from home equals 8.3% of the county's. Its number of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher equals 9.5% 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)26.2%(745)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)14.4%(410)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era41.8%(1,191)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.1%(87)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.5%(42)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 2,846 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 Maria, decade by decade
Santa Maria 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
61,284
$70,783
$336,730
10.7%
71.6
2000
77,423
$66,565
$255,032
11.0%
67.4
2010
99,553
$72,228
$487,388
12.9%
56.8
2020
109,707
$81,975
$435,970
13.4%
48.5
2024
110,462
$84,746
$531,700
15.7%
44.1
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.
