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COUNTY

Santa Barbara County

California · 442,065 residents (2025 est.) · 2,734 sq mi
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Part of the Santa Maria metro area
The short version

Santa Barbara County is a county of 443,701 people in California. The typical home is worth $790,700, having roughly tripled since 2000. That puts it in the top 1% of US counties for household income. Owners hold 52% of the housing stock. This skews young, with a median age of 34.6. Renters pay $2,131 a month at the median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.6
US median: 38.9
Average education
37% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 64%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
443,701
+11%since 2000
from 399,347 in 2000
442,065 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
162 / sq mi
+10%since 2009
from 147 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
34.6
+4%since 2000
from 33.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
2,734 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
362K385K409K433K456K19902000201020202024Santa Barbara County
2024444K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.1%(26,895)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(25,935)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.6%(29,308)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 198.5%(37,637)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2410.3%(45,562)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.2%(58,488)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.7%(51,771)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.4%(45,952)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.9%(48,443)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.3%(41,254)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845%(22,242)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.3%(10,214)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$98,161
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $46,677 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$48,028
+108%since 2000
from $23,059 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
60.5%
+22.0 ptssince 2009
from 38.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
14.7%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 14.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.494
+4%since 2010
from 0.475 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information9.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing8.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction7.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Retail trade7.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade6.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services4.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance3.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration2.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$790,700
+64%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $264,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$2,131
+41%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $830 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
52.4%
−3.7 ptssince 2000
from 56.1% in 2000
47.6% rent
Vacancy rate
6.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.81 people
+3%since 2009
from 2.73 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
30.5%
−10.5 ptssince 2009
from 41.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
54.8%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 56.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
8.1
−23%since 2009
from 10.5 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.
Gentrification Score
46
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic56.9%(227,083)
Black2.1%(8,385)
Hispanic / Latino34.2%(136,668)
Asian3.9%(15,713)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic40.6%(180,184)
Black1.5%(6,693)
Hispanic / Latino48.2%(213,992)
Asian5.2%(22,876)
Other4.5%(19,956)
Diversity Score
75
+5%since 2009
from 71 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
42
−3%since 2020
from 43 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican43.1%(191,409)
Central American1.8%(7,828)
South American0.9%(4,000)
Salvadoran0.9%(3,794)
Guatemalan0.6%(2,568)
Spaniard0.4%(1,776)
Puerto Rican0.4%(1,654)
Colombian0.3%(1,510)
Honduran0.2%(885)
Peruvian0.2%(749)
Venezuelan0.1%(559)
Cuban0.1%(557)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Chilean0.1%(443)
Nicaraguan0.1%(415)
Argentine0.1%(309)
Ecuadorian0.1%(226)
Dominican0%(143)
Bolivian0%(138)
Asian origin
Filipino1.4%(6,280)
Chinese1.3%(5,780)
Vietnamese0.5%(2,383)
Korean0.5%(2,023)
Asian Indian0.4%(1,829)
Japanese0.4%(1,596)
Taiwanese0.1%(535)
Hmong0.1%(420)
Cambodian0.1%(370)
Thai0%(178)
Laotian0%(156)
+ 10 more asian origin groups with data
Burmese0%(49)
Pakistani0%(47)
Uzbek0%(39)
Nepalese0%(34)
Kazakh0%(31)
Mien0%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(225)
Chamorro0.1%(225)
Tongan0%(40)
Fijian0%(7)
Ancestry
German8.7%(38,461)
English8.3%(36,654)
Irish7.2%(31,890)
Italian3.9%(17,246)
American2.3%(10,101)
Scottish1.7%(7,533)
French1.5%(6,486)
Polish1.3%(5,741)
Swedish1.2%(5,185)
Norwegian1%(4,638)
Dutch0.8%(3,488)
Portuguese0.7%(3,165)
+ 47 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.7%(3,134)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(2,878)
British0.6%(2,818)
Danish0.6%(2,656)
Arab0.5%(2,144)
Welsh0.5%(2,089)
Swiss0.4%(1,906)
Iranian0.3%(1,497)
Ukrainian0.3%(1,456)
Canadian0.3%(1,267)
Greek0.3%(1,252)
Hungarian0.3%(1,226)
Finnish0.2%(971)
Austrian0.2%(886)
Czech0.2%(729)
Croatian0.2%(724)
Lithuanian0.1%(600)
Lebanese0.1%(534)
Syrian0.1%(526)
Armenian0.1%(496)
Turkish0.1%(364)
Slovene0.1%(358)
Romanian0.1%(339)
Australian0.1%(337)
Belgian0.1%(300)
Slovak0.1%(300)
West Indian0.1%(290)
Brazilian0.1%(285)
Israeli0.1%(270)
Egyptian0.1%(251)
Bulgarian0.1%(246)
Ethiopian0%(209)
Nigerian0%(194)
Moroccan0%(172)
Serbian0%(133)
Jamaican0%(99)
Latvian0%(77)
Iraqi0%(65)
Haitian0%(52)
Jordanian0%(22)
Somali0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
36.8%
+7.4 ptssince 2000
from 29.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
81.9%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 79.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
14.8%
+3.4 ptssince 2000
from 11.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.8 min
+55%since 2000
from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
64.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 66.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.7%
−3.5 ptssince 2009
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
2.2%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
13.4%
+7.7 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
2.4%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.9%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.4%
−1.9 ptssince 2011
from 8.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
62.5%
−1.8 ptssince 2011
from 64.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
72.9%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 72.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
15.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
40.5%
+6.0 ptssince 2009
from 34.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
Female
49.9%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
Foreign born
22.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 22.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
4.6%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.3%
+0.9 ptssince 2012
from 10.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.7%
−9.7 ptssince 2013
from 18.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
92.5%
+10.2 ptssince 2017
from 82.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.4%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 94.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
84.8%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 81.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
59.5%
−0.8 ptssince 2016
from 60.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
33.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2016
from 32.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married44.1%(79,563)
Married47.4%(85,396)
Widowed1.8%(3,323)
Divorced6.7%(12,057)
Women 15+
Never married38.7%(70,133)
Married43.5%(78,864)
Widowed7.4%(13,329)
Divorced10.4%(18,898)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
8.7%
−9.7 ptssince 2013
from 18.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
47.8%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 48.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
27.6%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 24.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.5%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 1.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.3%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 64.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
41.9%
+3.7 ptssince 2020
from 38.2% 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)20%(3,160)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.8%(2,801)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.6%(6,252)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.1%(1,124)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.4%(221)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 15,770 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Santa Barbara County

Monterey County
Pop 433,729
Solano County
Pop 455,376
Orange County
Pop 417,669
Richmond County
Pop 501,290
Places similar to Santa Barbara County
Head to head

Compare Santa Barbara County to nearby counties

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY VS
Ventura County
Income$109,797+12%
Home value$822,700+4%
Population830,851+88%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY VS
San Luis Obispo County
Income$97,446−1%
Home value$824,700+4%
Population282,367−36%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY VS
Kern County
Income$70,210−28%
Home value$338,300−57%
Population927,068+110%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY VS
Los Angeles County
Income$90,112−8%
Home value$834,200+6%
Population9,694,934+2093%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Santa Barbara County, California?

Santa Barbara County, California has about 443,701 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Santa Barbara County, California earns about $98,161 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Santa Barbara County, California expensive?

In Santa Barbara County, California, the median home is worth about $790,700, and the typical rent is about $2,131 a month.

How educated are people in Santa Barbara County, California?

About 36.8% of adults age 25 and over in Santa Barbara County, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Santa Barbara County, California?

About 14.7% of people in Santa Barbara County, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Santa Barbara County, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Santa Barbara County, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 74,093 residents, a change of about 20 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →