How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Santa Barbara, CA?

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

In Santa Barbara, CA, the median gross rent for a two-bedroom home is $2,772 (±$101) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey, table B25031).

A one-bedroom home rents for a median of $2,111 (±$67).

A three-bedroom home rents for a median of $3,499 (±$236).

HUD’s fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA is $3,106.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Studio: $1,867 (±$115)
1 bedroom: $2,111 (±$67)
2 bedrooms: $2,772 (±$101)
3 bedrooms: $3,499 (±$236)

Rent by bedroom count in Santa Barbara

Median gross rent by number of bedrooms, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Santa Barbara	Santa Barbara County	California	United States
Studio	$1,867 (±$115)	$1,708 (±$63)	$1,598 (±$13)	$1,248
1 bedroom	$2,111 (±$67)	$1,838 (±$67)	$1,780 (±$6)	$1,235
2 bedrooms	$2,772 (±$101)	$2,150 (±$63)	$2,103 (±$6)	$1,407
3 bedrooms	$3,499 (±$236)	$2,516 (±$95)	$2,351 (±$11)	$1,584
4 bedrooms	$3,500 or more	$2,954 (±$245)	$2,809 (±$22)	$1,957
5 or more bedrooms	$2,467 (±$414)	$3,289 (±$755)	$3,121 (±$59)	$2,074

A median for a bedroom size is published only where enough renting households of that size were surveyed; a dash means the Census Bureau did not publish one.

Census rents against HUD’s Fair Market Rent, fiscal year 2027

Dollars a month; the Fair Market Rent is for the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA
	Census median, this place	HUD Fair Market Rent
1 bedroom	$2,111 (±$67)	$2,711
2 bedrooms	$2,772 (±$101)	$3,106
3 bedrooms	$3,499 (±$236)	$3,990

A Fair Market Rent is HUD’s estimate of the gross rent of a modest rental home across the whole HUD area, set for the voucher program; the Census median is what renting households in this place reported paying.

The two answer different questions and are not expected to match.

Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms in places near Santa Barbara

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Santa Barbara
Place	Distance	Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms	Compared with this place
Santa Barbara	—	$2,772 (±$101)	—
Mission Canyon	3.6 mi	$3,500 or more	—
Montecito	4.7 mi	$3,500 or more	—
Eastern Goleta Valley	4.9 mi	$3,002 (±$310)	Not measurably different
University of California-Santa Barbara	7.6 mi	$1,638 (±$65)	Lower
Isla Vista	8.4 mi	$2,547 (±$704)	Not measurably different
Goleta	8.6 mi	$2,749 (±$196)	Not measurably different
Carpinteria	12 mi	$2,291 (±$219)	Lower
Oak View	24 mi	$1,431 (±$273)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: University of California-Santa Barbara, CA ($1,638), Carpinteria, CA ($2,291), Oak View, CA ($1,431).

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

Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms across Santa Barbara County, place by place

Rank	Place	Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
1 (tie)	Mission Canyon	$3,500 or more
1 (tie)	Montecito	$3,500 or more
3	Eastern Goleta Valley	$3,002 (±$310)
4	Santa Barbara	$2,772 (±$101)
5	Goleta	$2,749 (±$196)
6	Vandenberg AFB	$2,555 (±$248)
7	Isla Vista	$2,547 (±$704)
8	Carpinteria	$2,291 (±$219)
9	Vandenberg Village	$2,255 (±$127)
10	Buellton	$2,185 (±$303)

Showing 10 of 17 places in Santa Barbara County, ranked from highest to lowest.

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 Santa Barbara

How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Santa Barbara?

The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Santa Barbara, CA is $2,111 (±$67) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How much is a two-bedroom apartment in Santa Barbara?

The median gross rent for a two-bedroom home in Santa Barbara, CA is $2,772 (±$101) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How much does a three-bedroom rental cost in Santa Barbara?

The median gross rent for a three-bedroom home in Santa Barbara, CA is $3,499 (±$236) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Santa Barbara city, California (place:69070, 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.

B25031_002E, B25031_002M, B25031_003E, B25031_003M, B25031_004E, B25031_004M, B25031_005E, B25031_005M, B25031_006E, B25031_006M, B25031_007E, B25031_007M

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.