Census-designated place · California
Mission Canyon, California
Mission Canyon, census-designated place, in Santa Barbara County, California. Mission Canyon had 2,540 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,357 (±447). GEOID 0648147.
Residents, 2020 Census
2,540
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 2,357 ±447
Median household income
$208,466
±$53,524 (90% margin)
California: $99,122
Median home value
$2,000,000 or more
The survey's top or bottom value; no margin is published
California: $734,700
Median gross rent
$3,500 or more
The survey's top or bottom value; no margin is published
California: $2,036
Where is Mission Canyon and what county is it in?
Mission Canyon is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Santa Barbara County, California. It covers 1.8 square miles of land, 1,404 residents per square mile in 2020.
Mission Canyon is in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Mission Canyon, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 2,540 residents in Mission Canyon, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 2,357 (±447).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Mission Canyon is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Mission Canyon | Santa Barbara County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,357 ±447 | 443,701 | no clear change |
| Households | 895 ±150 | 149,608 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.60 ±0.26 | 2.81 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 983 ±160 | 160,592 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Mission Canyon?
The median resident of Mission Canyon is 48.8 years old; 19.1% are under 18 and 24.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 70.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 14.6%. 10.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Mission Canyon | Santa Barbara County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.8 ±4.6 | 34.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.1% ±4.9 pts | 22.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.5% ±5.9 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Male | 48.2% ±3.8 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 14.6% ±6.6 pts | 48.2% | +7.9 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 70.9% ±8.4 pts | 40.6% | −15.2 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±2.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±1.7 pts | 5.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 10.4% ±6.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 10.1% ±5.0 pts | 22.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.1% ±4.6 pts | 40.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.5% ±3.7 pts | 4.6% | – |
| With a disability | 4.6% ±2.3 pts | 11.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 0.8% ±1.1 pts | 8.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.6% ±4.4 pts | 81.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 76.0% ±10.0 pts | 36.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 35.4% ±8.2 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.9% ±7.1 pts | 84.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 1.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Mission Canyon earn?
Half of Mission Canyon's 895 households earn less than $208,466 a year (±$53,524), against $98,161 in Santa Barbara County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 it was $167,340 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Mission Canyon | Santa Barbara County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $208,466 ±$53,524 | $98,161 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $286,007 ±$65,190 | $140,893 | – |
| Per capita income | $110,596 ±$28,971 | $48,028 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.6% ±4.8 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.5% ±13.1 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.7% ±1.8 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 100.0% ±4.6 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 98.9% ±2.0 pts | 92.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Mission Canyon?
Owners occupy 71.1% of Mission Canyon's occupied homes and renters 28.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $2,000,000 or more by its owner (). The median renter pays $3,500 or more a month including utilities.
| Measure | Mission Canyon | Santa Barbara County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $2,000,000 or more | $790,700 | +$565,135 |
| Median gross rent | $3,500 or more | $2,131 | +$817 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 31.2% ±23.6 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $4,000 or more | $2,973 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 71.1% ±10.8 pts | 52.4% | −15.6 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 28.9% ±10.8 pts | 47.6% | – |
| Housing units | 983 ±160 | 160,592 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±15.1 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 93.7% ±4.5 pts | 56.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.9% ±1.4 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.5% ±3.7 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 28.5% ±9.0 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.8% ±1.2 pts | 5.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Mission Canyon work and get to work?
51.5% of Mission Canyon's workers drive alone and 40.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 14.2 minutes.
| Measure | Mission Canyon | Santa Barbara County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.7% ±6.5 pts | 62.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% ±2.8 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 51.5% ±11.5 pts | 64.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.4% ±3.3 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Walked | 2.6% ±3.1 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 40.9% ±11.2 pts | 13.4% | +27.3 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.2 min ±2.7 | 20.8 min | −5.1 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Mission Canyon?
No census tract lies mostly in Mission Canyon; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 5.01Santa Barbara County | 3,168 | $221,250 |
| Tract 5.02Santa Barbara County | 5,352 | $153,031 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Mission Canyon) · Census block assignment files
How does Mission Canyon compare with other places in California?
Mission Canyon ranks 65th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 863rd | 1,076 |
| Residents per square mile | 676th | 1,077 |
| Median household income | 65th | 1,037 |
| Per capita income | 63rd | 1,073 |
| Median home value | 1st | 1,054 |
| Median gross rent | 1st | 987 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50th | 988 |
| Median age | 194th | 1,075 |
| Owner-occupied share | 420th | 1,064 |
| Work from home | 26th | 822 |
| Travel time to work | 1,047th | 1,069 |
Mission Canyon's figures with every place in California (CSV)
Every place in California, sortable · Compare Mission Canyon with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Mission Canyon?
22 of the 57 figures for Mission Canyon on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Mission Canyon are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.