How long do people stay in their homes in Santa Maria, CA?

Name: How long people stay in Santa Maria, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

20.1% (±1.9 points) of households in Santa Maria, CA moved into their current home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

14.3% have lived in it since before 2000.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Moved in 2020 or later: 20.1% (±1.9 points)
Since before 2000: 14.3%

When households in Santa Maria moved in

Occupied housing units by year the householder moved in, 2020–2024
Moved in	Santa Maria	Santa Barbara County	California	United States
2023 or later	3.4% (±0.8 points)	4.6%	4.3%	4.6%
2020 to 2022	16.7% (±1.7 points)	19.3%	19.1%	20.2%
2010 to 2019	44.7% (±2.2 points)	40.4%	41.2%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	20.9% (±1.9 points)	16.4%	17.0%	16.4%
1990 to 1999	8.1% (±1.0 points)	9.7%	9.7%	9.6%
1989 or earlier	6.2% (±0.9 points)	9.6%	8.8%	9.5%

A high share of recent movers usually means more renting households and more turnover; a high share of long-time residents usually means more owners who have stayed.

In Santa Maria, the share of households that moved in since 2020 is lower than in Santa Barbara County (23.9%).

It is also lower than in California (23.4%).

It is lower than the national figure (24.8%).

Households that moved in since 2020 in places near Santa Maria

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Santa Maria
Place	Distance	Households that moved in since 2020	Compared with this place
Santa Maria	—	20.1% (±1.9 points)	—
Orcutt	4.6 mi	17.9% (±2.9 points)	Not measurably different
Nipomo	7.4 mi	19.9% (±4.6 points)	Not measurably different
Guadalupe	7.7 mi	19.5% (±6.1 points)	Not measurably different
Woodlands	9.0 mi	40.3% (±14.2 points)	Higher
Callender	11 mi	18.6% (±16.1 points)	Not measurably different
Vandenberg AFB	15 mi	65.4% (±12.5 points)	Higher
Oceano	15 mi	19.3% (±7.3 points)	Not measurably different
Vandenberg Village	15 mi	26.7% (±8.2 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Woodlands, CA (40.3%), Vandenberg AFB, CA (65.4%).

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

Households that moved in since 2020 across Santa Barbara County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that moved in since 2020
9	Goleta	24.8% (±2.6 points)
10	Santa Ynez	24.2% (±10.2 points)
11 (tie)	Buellton	22.1% (±6.6 points)
11 (tie)	Solvang	22.1% (±5.7 points)
13	Lompoc	22.0% (±2.7 points)
14	Montecito	20.3% (±3.8 points)
15	Santa Maria	20.1% (±1.9 points)
16	Guadalupe	19.5% (±6.1 points)
17	Orcutt	17.9% (±2.9 points)
18	Carpinteria	16.6% (±4.3 points)
19	Eastern Goleta Valley	13.3% (±2.5 points)
20	Los Alamos	12.4% (±14.3 points)
21	Mission Canyon	10.7% (±5.6 points)

Showing 13 of 22 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 Maria

How often do people move in Santa Maria?

20.1% of households in Santa Maria, CA moved into their home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many long-time residents does Santa Maria have?

14.3% of households in Santa Maria have lived in their home since 1999 or earlier.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Santa Maria city, 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 Santa Maria city, California (place:69196, 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_0051PE, DP04_0051PM, DP04_0052PE, DP04_0052PM, DP04_0053PE, DP04_0053PM, DP04_0054PE, DP04_0054PM, DP04_0055PE, DP04_0055PM, DP04_0056PE, DP04_0056PM

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.