City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Goleta, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Goleta - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

32,693
Residents
$118,039
Median income
$1,002,500
Median home
$3,124
Median rent (state)

Goleta - the verdict

Goleta ranks in the 86th percentile for household income and the 37th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

86th
percentile, household income
97th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
37th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Goleta, CA

Goleta is a small city in California, home to 32,693 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Goleta brings in $118,039 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.4%. Goleta's housing stock carries a median value of $1,002,500, and the median resident age is 35.5 years. 48.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 67.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 13 residential building permits were authorized in Goleta (Construction Slowdown), down 92% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Goleta reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1774.3 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $3,124 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). Workers in Goleta report an average commute of 15.5 minutes, with 61.7% driving alone and 17.9% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

32,693 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$118,039 /yr

Poverty 5.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Goleta compare to other US cities?

Here's how Goleta stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 86% higher than other cities
Home value 97% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 37% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, Goleta ranks #193 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Goleta against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Goleta toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Goleta ranks #241 - the 82nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Goleta only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#343 of 1,338
74th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#266 of 1,458
80th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#241 of 1,343
82nd percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#803 of 1,450
44th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#297 of 1,458
80th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

86thIncome percentile
37thSafety percentile

86th percentile nationally for median household income · 37th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Goleta's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Goleta's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 42 Avg. percentile National median
Goleta's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Goleta's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,002,500 3rd percentile more affordable than 3% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Goleta $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Goleta, CA Goleta, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Goleta, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Goleta, CA median $118,039/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Goleta, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Goleta, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 48.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
32,693
Median Income
$118,039
Median Home Value
$1,002,500
Median Age
35.5
Poverty Rate
5.4%
Labor force participation
67.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
48.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1774.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
205.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1569.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
32,200 residents32,400 residents32,600 residents32,800 residents33,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 32,773 residents 32,401 residents ▼ -1.1%
Goleta's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
13
housing units authorized
Single-Family
13
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 154
2020 197
2021 28
2022 3
2023 8
2024 13

Permit volume decreased 92% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.5 minutes
Drive Alone
61.7%
Carpool
10.5%
Public Transit
2.4%
Walk
2.6%
Work from Home
17.9%
Other
4.9%

Based on 17,539 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Goleta sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,124/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Lathrop
32,696 people
Los Gatos
32,773 people
Menlo Park
32,775 people
Desert Hot Springs
32,786 people
Bell
32,830 people
Dana Point
32,883 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Goleta's 32,693 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Savage, MN
32,706 people
Pasadena, MD
32,717 people
St. Charles, IL
32,733 people
Houma, LA
32,760 people
Brooklyn Center, MN
32,811 people
Andover, MN
32,825 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Goleta's $118,039 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Eagle, ID
$118,037 median income
Bolton Valley, VT
$118,036 median income
Harrison, WI
$118,047 median income
West Richland, WA
$118,056 median income
Romancoke, MD
$118,077 median income
Alderwood Manor, WA
$118,077 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Goleta, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Goleta, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 51.5% 11.4% 16.2% 18.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 36.7% White 51.5% Black or African American 2.3% Asian 11.4% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 16.2% Two or more races 18.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Goleta compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Goleta (this city) 32,693 $118,039
Lathrop 32,696 $118,605
Los Gatos 32,773 $207,891
Menlo Park 32,775 $206,588
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Goleta, CA?

What is the population of Goleta, CA? +

Goleta, CA has a population of 32,693 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Goleta, CA? +

The median household income in Goleta is $118,039 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Goleta? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Goleta; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Goleta, CA safe? +

Goleta has a total crime rate of 1774.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Goleta, CA? +

Goleta's median home value sits at $1,002,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.