Santa Monica, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Santa Monica is a mid-sized community located in California, within Los Angeles County. The total population is 91,169. It ranks as the 91st most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Santa Monica is 42.7 years. This is 13% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 13.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Santa Monica is $114,885. This is 16% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 42% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.2%. This is 7% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 6.7%. This is 1% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $1,755,500. Housing costs are 139% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 15.3x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 27.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 50% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Santa Monica is White (non-Hispanic), making up 62.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 15.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (62.1% vs 33.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (15.3%) is well below the state average of 40.2%.

Education

70.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Santa Monica in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 91% 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 94.8%. Notably, 30.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Santa Monica, 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.