Santa Barbara County, California

28 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 443,975
Median household income: $95,977
Median home value: $735,700

Home to 443,975 residents, Santa Barbara County is one of California's counties. 28 cities and places have their primary county here. The median household income of $95,977 is in line with the California median ($96,334).

From 2019 to 2023, Santa Barbara County's population held roughly steady from 444,829 to 443,975, while its median household income rose 28.6% from $74,624 to $95,977.

65.3% of workers drive to work alone. 56.6% of homes are single-family detached houses.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 443,975
Median age: 34.5 yrs
Median household income: $95,977
Median home value: $735,700
Median gross rent: $2,050
Housing units: 159,766
Homeownership rate: 52.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 35.9%
Unemployment rate: 6.1%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

444,829443,975

Median household income

$74,624$95,977

Median home value

$577,400$735,700

Median gross rent

$1,643$2,050

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	444,829	$74,624	$577,400	$1,643
2020	444,895	$78,925	$610,300	$1,697
2021	447,651	$84,356	$625,200	$1,810
2022	445,213	$92,332	$714,800	$1,964
2023	443,975	$95,977	$735,700	$2,050

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 56.1%

5 to 1716.4%

18 to 2414.8%

25 to 3413.3%

35 to 4411.7%

45 to 5410.4%

55 to 6411.1%

65 to 749.1%

75 and over7.1%

	Count	Share
Under 5	26,949	6.1%
5 to 17	72,659	16.4%
18 to 24	65,911	14.8%
25 to 34	58,857	13.3%
35 to 44	51,822	11.7%
45 to 54	46,376	10.4%
55 to 64	49,419	11.1%
65 to 74	40,495	9.1%
75 and over	31,487	7.1%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	184,336	41.5%
Black or African American	6,832	1.5%
American Indian & Alaska Native	1,020	0.2%
Asian	22,846	5.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	382	0.1%
Some other race	1,714	0.4%
Two or more races	15,433	3.5%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	211,412	47.6%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma17.9%

High school graduate16.9%

Some college or associate's29.4%

Bachelor's degree21.6%

Graduate or professional degree14.2%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	49,743	17.9%
High school graduate	47,074	16.9%
Some college or associate's	81,757	29.4%
Bachelor's degree	60,231	21.6%
Graduate or professional degree	39,651	14.2%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 21 min

Drove alone65.3%

Carpooled11.9%

Public transit2.3%

Walked3.9%

Bicycle2.5%

Worked from home12.5%

Other means1.5%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	132,523	65.3%
Carpooled	24,188	11.9%
Public transit	4,604	2.3%
Walked	7,956	3.9%
Bicycle	5,049	2.5%
Worked from home	25,446	12.5%
Other means	3,078	1.5%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	72,519	40.9%
15 to 29 min	64,495	36.4%
30 to 44 min	21,914	12.4%
45 to 59 min	9,237	5.2%
60+ min	9,233	5.2%

Households

Average household size: 2.83
Poverty rate: 13.8% (58,387 of 423,928)

	Count	Share
Family households	96,612	64.9%
Nonfamily households	52,348	35.1%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1974

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	148,960	93.2%
Vacant	10,806	6.8%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	78,754	52.9%
Renter-occupied	70,206	47.1%

1-unit, detached56.6%

1-unit, attached8.0%

2 to 4 units8.8%

5 to 19 units13.4%

20 or more units8.5%

Mobile home & other4.6%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	90,492	56.6%
1-unit, attached	12,793	8.0%
2 to 4 units	14,122	8.8%
5 to 19 units	21,417	13.4%
20 or more units	13,515	8.5%
Mobile home & other	7,427	4.6%

Geography

County GEOID: 06083
State: California
Land area: 2,734 sq mi
Water area: 1,054 sq mi
Center point: 34.5367, -120.0384