How many renters in Isla Vista, CA pay more than 30% of their income on rent?

Name: Rent burden in Isla Vista, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

88.8% (±5.4 points) of renting households in Isla Vista, CA spend 30% or more of their household income on gross rent (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

83.9% spend 35% or more.

The median renting household spends 50.0% or more of its income on rent.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Paying 30% or more: 88.8% (±5.4 points)
Paying 35% or more: 83.9% (±4.7 points)
Median share of income: 50.0% or more

Rent as a share of income in Isla Vista

Renting households by gross rent as a percentage of household income, 2020–2024
Share of income spent on rent	Isla Vista	Santa Barbara County	California	United States
Less than 15%	0.6% (±0.6 points)	8.7%	10.4%	12.6%
15% to 19.9%	3.1% (±2.4 points)	11.4%	11.1%	12.2%
20% to 24.9%	4.8% (±2.4 points)	12.0%	12.0%	12.6%
25% to 29.9%	2.7% (±1.7 points)	10.2%	11.2%	11.5%
30% to 34.9%	4.9% (±2.6 points)	8.3%	9.3%	9.2%
35% or more	83.9% (±4.7 points)	49.5%	46.0%	41.9%

Households whose income could not be measured against their rent (for example, those reporting no income) are left out of these shares, as the Census Bureau leaves them out.

Isla Vista against Santa Barbara County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Isla Vista	Santa Barbara County	California	United States
Paying 30% or more	88.8% (±5.4 points)	57.8% (±1.9 points)	55.3% (±0.2 points)	51.1%
Paying 35% or more	83.9% (±4.7 points)	49.5% (±1.7 points)	46.0% (±0.2 points)	41.9%
Median share of income	50.0% or more	34.7% (±1.0 points)	32.8% (±0.2 points)	30.6%
Median renter household income	$25,435 (±$5,433)	$70,675 (±$2,599)	$71,186 (±$298)	$52,966
Median gross rent	$1,878 (±$95)	$2,131 (±$35)	$2,036 (±$5)	$1,413

In Isla Vista, the share of renters paying 30% or more of income is higher than in Santa Barbara County (57.8%).

It is also higher than in California (55.3%).

It is higher than the national figure (51.1%).

In Santa Barbara County, Isla Vista ranks 2 of 22 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest share of renters paying 30% or more of income.

Statewide, it ranks 38 of 1,067.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Renters paying 30% or more of income in places near Isla Vista

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Isla Vista
Place	Distance	Renters paying 30% or more of income	Compared with this place
Isla Vista	—	88.8% (±5.4 points)	—
University of California-Santa Barbara	0.9 mi	45.4% (±12.2 points)	Lower
Goleta	1.6 mi	49.0% (±5.6 points)	Lower
Eastern Goleta Valley	4.8 mi	40.9% (±8.9 points)	Lower
Santa Barbara	8.4 mi	55.7% (±3.7 points)	Lower
Mission Canyon	8.7 mi	38.0% (±26.1 points)	Lower
Montecito	13 mi	52.5% (±14.3 points)	Lower
Summerland	16 mi	100.0% (±25.9 points)	Not measurably different
Toro Canyon	17 mi	55.9% (±32.4 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: University of California-Santa Barbara, CA (45.4%), Goleta, CA (49.0%), Eastern Goleta Valley, CA (40.9%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Renters paying 30% or more of income across Santa Barbara County, place by place

Rank	Place	Renters paying 30% or more of income
1	Summerland	100.0% (±25.9 points)
2	Isla Vista	88.8% (±5.4 points)
3	Vandenberg AFB	77.1% (±10.3 points)
4	Guadalupe	68.8% (±13.0 points)
5	Carpinteria	65.1% (±10.6 points)
6	Los Olivos	63.8% (±58.3 points)
7	Santa Maria	61.0% (±3.8 points)
8	Orcutt	58.2% (±10.1 points)

Showing 8 of 22 places in Santa Barbara County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Isla Vista is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for statistics, with no municipal government of its own.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Isla Vista

Are renters in Isla Vista rent-burdened?

88.8% of renting households in Isla Vista pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

What share of income do renters in Isla Vista spend on rent?

The median renting household in Isla Vista, CA spends 50.0% or more of its household income on gross rent.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Isla Vista CDP, California (place:36868, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0136E, DP04_0136M, DP04_0137PE, DP04_0137PM, DP04_0138PE, DP04_0138PM, DP04_0139PE, DP04_0139PM, DP04_0140PE, DP04_0140PM, DP04_0141PE, DP04_0141PM, DP04_0142PE, DP04_0142PM, B25071_001E, B25071_001M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.