CA area data
Santa barbara, CA
Aggregated across 7 ZIP codes in Santa barbara.
Population: 125,416 (Census ACS)
The median home value in Santa barbara, CA is $1.86M — up 3.6% over the past year. Homes sell for a median $1.87M after a median 40 days on market. Typical rent runs $3,837/month. 32 schools serve the area (NCES). FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall natural-hazard risk Relatively High, with drought, landslide, earthquake the top-rated hazards. Cost of living is 12.9% above the US average (BEA, metro/state-level).
$1.86M
Median home value
+3.6%
1-year change
40
Median days on market
Relatively High
Hazard risk (county)
Home values & appreciation
- Median home value
- $1.86M
- 1-year appreciation
- +3.6%
- 3-year appreciation
- +8.9%
- 5-year appreciation
- +30.8%
- 10-year appreciation
- +75.7%
- All-time peak (2024-10)
- $1.87M
- House Price Index (state)
- 417.4 (-0.8% YoY)
Sources: home value index (ZIP-level) · FHFA House Price Index (state-level)
Market activity
- Median sale price
- $1.87M
- Median list price
- $1.87M
- Median price per sqft
- $1,200
- 1-year sale-price change
- -18.1%
- Median days on market
- 40 days
- Homes sold (recent period)
- 40
- For-sale inventory
- 228
- Sale-to-list ratio
- 99.0%
- Active listings
- 29
- 1-year forecast
- +2.1%
- Days to pending
- 58 days
- New listings (monthly)
- 77
Source: recent area sales and market data (ZIP-level)
Rents
- Typical rent
- $3,837/mo
- 1-year rent change
- +2.4%
- Studio fair-market rent
- $1,495/mo
- 1BR fair-market rent
- $1,869/mo
- 2BR fair-market rent
- $2,330/mo
- 3BR fair-market rent
- $3,029/mo
- 4BR fair-market rent
- $3,495/mo
Sources: market rent index (ZIP-level) · HUD Fair Market Rents (metro/county-level, 40th-percentile regulatory reference)
Affordability
- Cost of living index (High)
- 112.9 (100 = US avg)
- Electricity rate (state-level)
- 32.5¢/kWh
- Natural gas rate (state-level)
- $22.00/MCF
- 30-year mortgage rate (national)
- 6.66%
- 15-year mortgage rate (national)
- 6.00%
Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities (metro/state-level) · EIA energy rates (state-level) · Freddie Mac PMMS (national)
Schools
- Total schools
- 32
- Elementary schools
- 18
- Middle schools
- 4
- High schools
- 6
- Charter schools
- 4
- School districts serving the area
- Santa Barbara Unified, Adelante Charter District, Peabody Charter District
- Schools include
- Harding University Partnership, La Cuesta Continuation High, La Cumbre Junior High, Roosevelt Elementary, Santa Barbara Community Academy
Source: NCES school directory, 2022-23 (school-address-based)
Natural hazards & flood risk
- Overall hazard risk (county)
- Relatively High
- Top hazards (county)
- drought, landslide, earthquake, inlandFlooding, wildfire
- Notable hazard ratings (county)
- coastalFlooding: Relatively Low · drought: Very High · earthquake: Relatively High · heatWave: Relatively Low · inlandFlooding: Relatively High · landslide: Very High
- FEMA flood zone (varies by location)
- includes AH
- Flood risk level
- High
- Wildfire risk to homes (county)
- Higher than 97% of US counties
- Buildings in wildfire direct-exposure zone
- 25.5%
- Radon potential (county)
- High radon potential — EPA Zone 1 of 3
- EPA Superfund (NPL) sites within 5 mi
- None
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (county-level) · FEMA flood data (ZIP-level) · USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (county-level) · EPA radon zones + Superfund NPL
Climate (30-year normals)
- Average annual temperature
- 64.4°F
- Average high
- 72.6°F
- Average low
- 56.3°F
- Annual precipitation
- 19.5 in
- USDA plant hardiness zone
- 10b (extreme annual low 35 to 40°F)
Sources: NOAA Climate Normals (30-year, nearest-station) · USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
Air quality
- Air quality rating
- Good
- Median AQI (annual)
- 46
- Days with Good air quality
- 226
- Days with Moderate air quality
- 138
- Highest AQI recorded (year)
- 102
Source: EPA air quality data (nearest monitoring station, annual)
Walkability & transit
- Walkability index
- 10.2 / 20
- Transit service frequency
- -83,240
- Jobs reachable by car (30 min)
- 29,115
- Jobs reachable by transit (45 min)
- 22,664
Source: EPA Smart Location Database (metropolitan block groups)
Amenities
- National parks within ~60 mi
- 10
- Nearest national park
- Channel Islands National Park (31 mi)
- National parks include
- Channel Islands National Park, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
- Airports within 30 mi
- 54
- Nearest airport
- Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) (1 mi)
- Nearest major airport
- Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) (1 mi)
- Hospitals nearby (~15 mi)
- 3
- Hospitals include
- GOLETA VALLEY COTTAGE HOSPITAL, SANTA BARBARA COTTAGE HOSPITAL, ST JOHNS REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
- Avg hospital rating (CMS)
- 4.7 / 5
- Best hospital rating nearby (CMS)
- 5.0 / 5
- EV charging stations (within 10 mi)
- 105
- Solar radiation rating
- Good (5.3 kWh/m²/day)
Sources: National Park Service · FAA airport data · CMS hospital data · DOE/NREL (proximity-based)
Migration
- Net migration (county)
- -2,799 tax filers
Source: IRS county-to-county migration data (county-level, ~12-month lag)
Housing stock
- Median year housing built
- 1,972
- Housing built before 1970
- 53.4%
- Housing built 2000 or later
- 16.3%
- Median annual property tax
- $7,516
- Mean commute to work
- 13 min
- Households with broadband internet
- 73.2%
Source: Census ACS 5-year estimates (ZIP-level)
Employment & development
- Total county employment
- 181,536
- Average weekly wage
- $1,218
- Top industries (by employment)
- Agriculture, Health Care, Accommodation & Food
- Annual residential building permits (county)
- 478
Sources: BLS QCEW (county-level) · Census Building Permits (county-level)
How it compares
| Santa barbara | State median | US median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1.86M | $702,573 | $289,727 |
| Median sale price | $1.87M | $696,000 | $325,000 |
| Median days on market | 40 days | 39 days | 51 days |
| Typical rent | $3,837/mo | $2,767/mo | $1,808/mo |
| Median annual property tax | $7,516 | $4,533 | $2,006 |
State and US medians are computed across all US ZIP codes with sufficient public-data coverage, from the same sources as the figures above.
Area data compiled from public government, academic, and industry research feeds. Data sources →
Common questions
- What is the median home value in Santa barbara, CA?
- $1.86M.
- What is the median sale price in Santa barbara, CA?
- $1.87M.
- How long do homes take to sell in Santa barbara, CA?
- Median days on market: 40 days.
- What is typical rent in Santa barbara, CA?
- Typical rent: $3,837/month.
- What is the natural-hazard risk in Santa barbara, CA?
- Overall risk: Relatively High (FEMA NRI, county-level). Top hazards: drought, landslide, earthquake, inlandFlooding, wildfire.
- Is Santa barbara, CA in a flood zone?
- High (FEMA NFIP). Parts of the area include FEMA flood zone AH; zones vary by location within the city.
- What is the wildfire risk in Santa barbara, CA?
- Risk to homes is higher than 97% of US counties (USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities, county-level).
- What is the radon potential in Santa barbara, CA?
- High radon potential — EPA Zone 1 of 3, county-level. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.
- Are there Superfund sites near Santa barbara, CA?
- No current or proposed National Priorities List sites within 5 miles (EPA).
- How many schools serve Santa barbara, CA?
- 32 schools (18 elementary, 4 middle, 6 high) (NCES, 2022-23).
- Is Santa barbara, CA walkable?
- Walkability index: 10.2/20 (EPA Smart Location Database).
- What is the air quality in Santa barbara, CA?
- Good. Median AQI: 46. (EPA AQI).
- What is the cost of living in Santa barbara, CA?
- Regional Price Parity: 112.9 (100 = US average) (High) (BEA RPP, metro/state-level).
ZIP codes in Santa barbara
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Data last updated
Most recent source refresh: Sep 2026. See all data sources →