How old are the homes in Montecito, CA?

Name: Age of homes in Montecito, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

64.3% (±7.1 points) of the homes in Montecito, CA were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

16.8% were built before 1940.

7.3% were built in 2010 or later.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Built before 1980: 64.3% (±7.1 points)
Built before 1940: 16.8%
Built 2010 or later: 7.3%

When the homes in Montecito were built

Housing units by year structure built, 2020–2024
Year built	Montecito	Santa Barbara County	California	United States
2020 or later	0.6% (±0.5 points)	0.7%	1.3%	2.0%
2010 to 2019	6.7% (±2.6 points)	5.9%	6.5%	9.4%
2000 to 2009	5.6% (±2.5 points)	9.1%	11.2%	13.6%
1990 to 1999	6.8% (±2.3 points)	8.3%	10.1%	12.4%
1980 to 1989	16.0% (±5.4 points)	16.0%	14.9%	12.9%
1970 to 1979	12.4% (±3.3 points)	18.1%	16.8%	14.2%
1960 to 1969	13.8% (±3.3 points)	19.4%	12.5%	9.9%
1950 to 1959	18.0% (±3.8 points)	10.9%	12.4%	9.5%
1940 to 1949	3.3% (±1.4 points)	3.6%	5.4%	4.4%
1939 or earlier	16.8% (±3.4 points)	8.0%	8.9%	11.7%

In Montecito, the share of homes built before 1980 is not measurably different from Santa Barbara County (60.0%).

It is also higher than in California (56.0%).

It is higher than the national figure (49.7%).

In Santa Barbara County, Montecito ranks 7 of 22 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest share of homes built before 1980.

Statewide, it ranks 400 of 1,076.

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

Why the age of a home matters: lead-based paint

Federal law treats housing built before 1978 as likely to contain lead-based paint.

Before a lease or sale of most pre-1978 housing, the landlord or seller must disclose any known lead-based paint and hazards and give the tenant or buyer the EPA pamphlet (42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR part 745, subpart F; 24 CFR part 35, subpart A).

A contractor paid to renovate, repair or paint a pre-1978 home must be a certified firm, use a certified renovator and follow lead-safe work practices under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E) whenever the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface in a room or more than 20 square feet outside; window replacement and demolition always count (40 CFR 745.83).

Certification comes from EPA, or from the state where EPA has authorized the state to run the program.

The Census Bureau groups construction by decade, so the share built before 1978 lies between the share built before 1970 (51.9%) and the share built before 1980 (64.3%).

Homes built before 1980 in places near Montecito

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Montecito
Place	Distance	Homes built before 1980	Compared with this place
Montecito	—	64.3% (±7.1 points)	—
Summerland	2.6 mi	64.2% (±29.6 points)	Not measurably different
Toro Canyon	4.1 mi	62.2% (±17.0 points)	Not measurably different
Santa Barbara	4.7 mi	73.5% (±3.1 points)	Higher
Mission Canyon	5.4 mi	83.1% (±16.8 points)	Higher
Carpinteria	7.9 mi	64.2% (±8.6 points)	Not measurably different
Eastern Goleta Valley	8.9 mi	71.8% (±5.2 points)	Not measurably different
University of California-Santa Barbara	12 mi	43.9% (±11.8 points)	Lower
Goleta	13 mi	65.3% (±4.4 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: University of California-Santa Barbara, CA (43.9%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Santa Barbara, CA (73.5%), Mission Canyon, CA (83.1%).

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

Homes built before 1980 across Santa Barbara County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes built before 1980
1	Mission Canyon	83.1% (±16.8 points)
2	Santa Barbara	73.5% (±3.1 points)
3	Eastern Goleta Valley	71.8% (±5.2 points)
4	Vandenberg Village	71.5% (±11.2 points)
5	Los Olivos	65.4% (±20.4 points)
6	Goleta	65.3% (±4.4 points)
7	Montecito	64.3% (±7.1 points)
8 (tie)	Carpinteria	64.2% (±8.6 points)
8 (tie)	Summerland	64.2% (±29.6 points)
10	Toro Canyon	62.2% (±17.0 points)
11	Mission Hills	61.0% (±13.9 points)
12	Isla Vista	60.6% (±7.5 points)
13	Lompoc	58.0% (±4.5 points)

Showing 13 of 22 places in Santa Barbara County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Montecito 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.

What you can do on Seayora in Montecito

One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.

Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?

Get found by owners and renters near Montecito, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.

Join as a pro · Find a pro

Own or manage a rental?

List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for Montecito beside you.

Create a landlord account · See what landlords get

Looking for a place to rent?

Browse homes for rent near Montecito, save the ones you like and apply online.

Browse rentals · Create a renter account

Questions about Montecito

How old are most homes in Montecito?

64.3% of homes in Montecito, CA were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Do homes in Montecito need a lead paint disclosure?

A home built before 1978 does, before it is rented or sold, unless an exemption applies (42 U.S.C. § 4852d); between 51.9% and 64.3% of homes in Montecito were built before then.

Does a contractor need lead certification to work on older homes in Montecito?

Yes, when the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of paint in a room or 20 square feet outside, or replaces a window: the firm must be certified and a certified renovator must direct the work under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E).

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Montecito CDP, California

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) for Montecito CDP, California (place:48844, 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_0017PE, DP04_0017PM, DP04_0018PE, DP04_0018PM, DP04_0019PE, DP04_0019PM, DP04_0020PE, DP04_0020PM, DP04_0021PE, DP04_0021PM, DP04_0022PE, DP04_0022PM, DP04_0023PE, DP04_0023PM, DP04_0024PE, DP04_0024PM, DP04_0025PE, DP04_0025PM, DP04_0026PE, DP04_0026PM

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.