Santa Barbara, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Santa Barbara is a mid-sized community located in California, within Santa Barbara County. The total population is 87,779. It ranks as the 95th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Santa Barbara is 39.7 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Santa Barbara is $106,182. This is 7% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 32% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.0%. This is 17% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.8%. This is 13% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $1,570,800. Housing costs are 114% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 14.8x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 39.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 29% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Santa Barbara is White (non-Hispanic), making up 52.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 36.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (52.8% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (1.4%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (3.5%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

51.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 40% higher than 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 89.2%. Notably, 22.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Santa Barbara, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.