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Santa Barbara County, California Demographics 2026

Santa Barbara County, California has a population of 443,701, the 20th most populous county in California. The median household income is $98,161 and the median home value is $790,700. The poverty rate is 14.7%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Santa Barbara County Quick Facts

Population 443,701
Median Household Income $98,161
Median Home Value $790,700
Poverty Rate 14.7%
Unemployment Rate 6.4%
Median Age 34.6 years
Homeownership Rate 52.4%
Affordability Ratio 8.1x
Bachelor's Degree+ 36.8%
High School Graduation 81.9%
Cities/Places 28
Population 443,701 20th of 58
Median Income $98,161 about the same as state
Poverty Rate 14.7%
Unemployment 6.4%

How Santa Barbara County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population443,975443,701-0.1%
Median household income$95,977$98,161+2.3%
Median home value$735,700$790,700+7.5%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 12.6%
$25K-$50K 13.4%
$50K-$100K 24.8%
$100K+ 49.2%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
4.5%
$10K-$15K
2.9%
$15K-$20K
2.6%
$20K-$25K
2.6%
$25K-$30K
2.6%
$30K-$35K
2.6%
$35K-$40K
2.5%
$40K-$45K
2.8%
$45K-$50K
3.0%
$50K-$60K
5.3%
$60K-$75K
8.1%
$75K-$100K
11.3%
$100K-$125K
9.9%
$125K-$150K
8.0%
$150K-$200K
11.3%
$200K+
20.0%

Employment

6.4% Unemployment Rate State: 6.6%|National: 5.2%
62.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 52.4%
Renter 47.6%
Affordability Index Very Expensive
8.1x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $2,131/mo 26.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

60out of 100
High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 70 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Santa Barbara County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Santa Maria110,462$84,74617.3%$531,700
Santa Barbara87,779$106,18214.0%$1,570,800
Lompoc43,646$72,00417.3%$472,900
Goleta32,685$122,3709.3%$1,062,100
Orcutt31,454$111,4168.0%$624,500
Eastern Goleta Valley28,295$146,2847.9%$1,361,700
Isla Vista13,920$25,97270.4%$1,218,800
Carpinteria13,036$100,6587.0%$1,043,100
University of California-Santa Barbara12,121$69,32717.5%$452,900
Montecito9,031$231,0058.3%$2,000,000+
Guadalupe8,566$66,93027.7%$495,600
Vandenberg Village6,776$110,9043.3%$637,100
Solvang6,034$109,09111.3%$949,600
Buellton5,074$99,9364.9%$837,400
Santa Ynez4,467$110,78113.0%$1,163,000
Mission Hills3,859$111,9745.4%$492,900
Vandenberg AFB3,477$84,1671.4%N/A
Mission Canyon2,357$208,4665.6%$2,000,000+
Toro Canyon1,477$140,7436.0%$2,000,000+
Summerland1,348$95,69412.2%$2,000,000+
Los Alamos1,163$79,1672.8%$831,300
Los Olivos1,038$143,2293.0%$1,522,700
Ballard863$140,83315.2%$1,742,200
New Cuyama555$60,75913.9%$216,500
Sisquoc158N/A20.9%$573,900
Casmalia55N/A36.4%N/A
Garey28$162,6790.0%$767,900
Cuyama21N/A0.0%N/A

Explore California Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Santa Barbara County is located in California with a total population of 443,701. It is the 20th most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 28 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Santa Barbara County is 34.6 years. This is 9% lower than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Santa Barbara County is $98,161. This is about the same as the state median of $99,122. It is also 22% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.7%. This is 23% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 6.4%. This is 3% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $790,700. Housing costs are 8% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.1x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 52.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Santa Barbara County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 48.2% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 40.6%. The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (5.2%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

36.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is about the same as the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 81.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Santa Barbara County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Santa Barbara County, California?

Santa Barbara County has a population of 443,701, making it the 20th most populous county in California.

What is the median income in Santa Barbara County?

The median household income in Santa Barbara County is $98,161 with a poverty rate of 14.7%.

How many cities are in Santa Barbara County, California?

Santa Barbara County contains 28 Census-designated places.