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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).

Backed by 25+ public sourcesFEMA · U.S. Census · NOAA · Dept. of Education · EPA · and more

$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
EPA recommends radon testing for every home regardless of zone.

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 barbaraState medianUS median
Median home value$1.86M$702,573$289,727
Median sale price$1.87M$696,000$325,000
Median days on market40 days39 days51 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

Selling a home in Santa barbara, CA?

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Data last updated

Most recent source refresh: Sep 2026. See all data sources →

Data compiled by REAIGENT7 — AI listing platform for real estate agents