City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Santa Barbara, CA

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

88,024
Residents
$101,672
Median income
$1,466,400
Median home
$3,124
Median rent (state)

Santa Barbara - the verdict

Santa Barbara ranks in the 79th percentile for household income and the 23rd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

79th
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
23rd
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: Santa Barbara, CA

Santa Barbara is a small city in California, home to 88,024 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Santa Barbara households earn a median of $101,672 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 6.7%. Home values in Santa Barbara run a median of $1,466,400, and the median resident age is 39.4 years. 50.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 54 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 53% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2458.0 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 58.4°F with 19.0 inches of precipitation per year.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $3,124 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

88,024 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$101,672 /yr

Poverty 6.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Santa Barbara compare to other US cities?

Where Santa Barbara sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 79% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 23% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at California, Santa Barbara ranks #303 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Santa Barbara's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

79thIncome percentile
23rdSafety percentile

79th percentile nationally for median household income · 23rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Santa Barbara's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Santa Barbara'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 35 Avg. percentile National median
Santa Barbara'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 Santa Barbara's home value compares nationally

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

$1,466,400 1st percentile more affordable than 1% 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. Santa Barbara $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 - Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Santa Barbara, 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 Santa Barbara, CA median $101,672/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%
Santa Barbara, 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 Santa Barbara, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 50.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.9%

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

Population
88,024
Median Income
$101,672
Median Home Value
$1,466,400
Median Age
39.4
Poverty Rate
6.7%
Labor force participation
61.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
50.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2458.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
648.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1809.7
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
58.4°F
Annual Precipitation
19.0"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
33
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
86,000 residents87,000 residents88,000 residents89,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 88,753 residents 86,422 residents ▼ -2.6%
Santa Barbara's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
54
housing units authorized
Single-Family
16
detached homes
Multifamily
38
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 114
2020 118
2021 229
2022 67
2023 81
2024 54

Permit volume decreased 53% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
61.3%
Carpool
9.7%
Public Transit
2.3%
Walk
4.2%
Work from Home
17.0%
Other
5.5%

Based on 44,907 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 Santa Barbara 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

San Leandro
88,531 people
Citrus Heights
87,036 people
Manteca
86,521 people
Merced
89,766 people
Hawthorne
85,933 people
Whittier
85,925 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Santa Barbara's 88,024 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Santa Fe, NM
88,224 people
Lawrence, MA
88,297 people
Newton, MA
88,504 people
Greenville, NC
88,540 people
Springdale, AR
87,388 people
Troy, MI
87,307 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Santa Barbara's $101,672 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ortonville, MI
$101,667 median income
Pecan Hill, TX
$101,667 median income
Highland Acres, DE
$101,685 median income
Conejo, NM
$101,685 median income
Emerald Lakes, PA
$101,688 median income
Jarrell, TX
$101,653 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Santa Barbara, 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 Santa Barbara, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 63.3% 13.5% 16.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 36.8% White 63.3% Black or African American 1.3% Asian 3.8% American Indian 1.3% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 13.5% Two or more races 16.6% 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 Santa Barbara 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
Santa Barbara (this city) 88,024 $101,672
San Leandro 88,531 $98,063
Citrus Heights 87,036 $77,167
Manteca 86,521 $94,718
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Santa Barbara, CA?

What is the population of Santa Barbara, CA? +

Santa Barbara, CA counts 88,024 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Santa Barbara, CA? +

In Santa Barbara, the typical household earns $101,672 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Santa Barbara? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Santa Barbara; 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 Santa Barbara, CA safe? +

Santa Barbara has a total crime rate of 2458.0 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Santa Barbara, CA? +

A typical home in Santa Barbara is worth $1,466,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Santa Barbara? +

The average annual temperature in Santa Barbara runs 58.4°F, 19.0 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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 Editorial

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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.