Santa Barbara, CA
Census place 0669070 · pop 87,779
Known as 'The American Riviera' for its red-tile Spanish architecture and the 'Queen of the Missions,' Old Mission Santa Barbara.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$1,570,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$4,009/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
39.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
644 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
99/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-3.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.50 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
49 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1841 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
14.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
9.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
2 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
21.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$106,182 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
9.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
51.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
25.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.48% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
Frequently asked
- Is Santa Barbara, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Santa Barbara scores 39/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is housing cost. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Santa Barbara, CA?
- Santa Barbara reports 644 violent crimes per 100k and 1841 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Santa Barbara, CA expensive to live in?
- Santa Barbara has a median home value of $1,570,800 and typical rent around $4,009/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Santa Barbara, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($1,570,800) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Santa Barbara, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.48%) — 92/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Known as 'The American Riviera' for its red-tile Spanish architecture and the 'Queen of the Missions,' Old Mission Santa Barbara.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.