Housing data for University of California-Santa Barbara, CA
University of California-Santa Barbara, CA has an estimated 12,121 residents and 778 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County.
85.3% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,526 a month.
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 12,121 (±523)
- Housing units
- 778 (±141)
- Households that rent
- 85.3%
- Median gross rent
- $1,526
What stands out in University of California-Santa Barbara
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 58.9% (±12.3 points) in University of California-Santa Barbara, higher than in Santa Barbara County (21.7%).
Households that moved in since 2020: 49.7% (±12.7 points) in University of California-Santa Barbara, higher than in Santa Barbara County (23.9%).
Households that rent: 85.3% (±10.4 points) in University of California-Santa Barbara, higher than in Santa Barbara County (47.6%).
Median home value: $452,900 (±$12,276) in University of California-Santa Barbara, lower than in Santa Barbara County ($790,700).
- How long people stay in University of California-Santa Barbara
- Renters and owners in University of California-Santa Barbara
- Home values in University of California-Santa Barbara
Housing in University of California-Santa Barbara at a glance
- Median rent: $1,526 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,638 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 45.4% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 85.3% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $69,327 median household income
- Home values: $452,900 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $3,190 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $5,560 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 58.9% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Bedrooms: 7.4% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 43.9% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 8.5% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 74.9% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 14.3 minutes average trip to work
- How long people stay: 49.7% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 6.2% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
University of California-Santa Barbara against Santa Barbara County, its state and the nation
| University of California-Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara County | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 12,121 (±523) | 443,701 (exact) | 39,287,377 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 778 (±141) | 160,592 (±195) | 14,644,735 (±1,665) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 85.3% (±10.4 points) | 47.6% (±0.9 points) | 44.1% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,526 (±$111) | $2,131 (±$35) | $2,036 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $69,327 (±$15,034) | $98,161 (±$2,430) | $99,122 (±$310) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $452,900 (±$12,276) | $790,700 (±$17,571) | $734,700 (±$1,307) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $5,560 (±$1,593) | $5,103 (±$149) | $5,124 (±$17) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 43.9% (±11.8 points) | 60.0% (±1.3 points) | 56.0% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 14.3 minutes (±1.7) | 20.8 minutes (±0.4) | 28.7 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 44.9% (±11.0 points) | 92.5% (±0.5 points) | 93.5% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 20.0 years (±0.4) | 34.6 years (±0.1) | 37.9 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
University of California-Santa Barbara covers 1.3 square miles of land, about 9,324 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
Crime reported to police in Santa Barbara County
University of California-Santa Barbara has no police department of its own in the FBI’s figures, so this is the figure for Santa Barbara County as a whole.
In 2025, the police departments that report for Santa Barbara County recorded 419 violent and 1,255 property crimes per 100,000 residents.
A county-wide figure describes the whole county, not this place; crime varies from one community to the next.
ZIP codes in University of California-Santa Barbara
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93106 | 100% | 5,418 | $2,100 | — | — |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near University of California-Santa Barbara
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isla Vista | 0.9 mi | $1,878 | $1,218,800 | 98.8% |
| Goleta | 1.4 mi | $2,437 | $1,062,100 | 49.3% |
| Eastern Goleta Valley | 3.9 mi | $2,964 | $1,361,700 | 25.4% |
| Santa Barbara | 7.6 mi | $2,413 | $1,570,800 | 60.1% |
| Mission Canyon | 7.9 mi | $3,500 or more | $2,000,000 or more | 28.9% |
| Montecito | 12 mi | $3,500 or more | $2,000,000 or more | 24.2% |
| Summerland | 15 mi | — | $2,000,000 or more | 35.7% |
| Toro Canyon | 16 mi | $2,179 | $2,000,000 or more | 14.1% |
Places in California most like University of California-Santa Barbara
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cottonwood (Kern County) | $1,029 | $321,600 | $44,247 | 83.5% |
| Hawthorne | $1,782 | $863,400 | $75,848 | 72.8% |
| Sand City | $2,316 | $1,080,400 | $77,917 | 81.5% |
| Marin City | $1,335 | $1,142,700 | $68,846 | 61.3% |
| National City | $1,692 | $612,200 | $66,841 | 65.3% |
| El Cajon | $1,856 | $681,700 | $67,511 | 58.5% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across California.
HUD Fair Market Rent for University of California-Santa Barbara, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,479 | $2,711 | $3,106 | $3,990 | $4,557 |
HUD income limits for University of California-Santa Barbara, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $38,300 | $63,750 | $102,000 |
| 2 people | $43,750 | $72,850 | $116,600 |
| 3 people | $49,200 | $81,950 | $131,150 |
| 4 people | $54,650 | $91,050 | $145,700 |
| 5 people | $59,050 | $98,350 | $157,400 |
| 6 people | $63,400 | $105,650 | $169,050 |
| 7 people | $67,800 | $112,950 | $180,700 |
| 8 people | $72,150 | $120,200 | $192,350 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $118,600.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
University of California-Santa Barbara 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), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about University of California-Santa Barbara
What is the average rent in University of California-Santa Barbara, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in University of California-Santa Barbara is $1,526 (±$111) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in University of California-Santa Barbara?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in University of California-Santa Barbara, CA is $1,138 (±$14) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in University of California-Santa Barbara rent-burdened?
45.4% of renting households in University of California-Santa Barbara pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in University of California-Santa Barbara?
University of California-Santa Barbara has an estimated 604 (±118) renting households, 85.3% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in University of California-Santa Barbara?
The median household income in University of California-Santa Barbara is $69,327 (±$15,034) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in University of California-Santa Barbara, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $452,900 (±$12,276) for owner-occupied homes in University of California-Santa Barbara (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What ZIP codes are in University of California-Santa Barbara?
The ZIP code that covers University of California-Santa Barbara is 93106.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 93106?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 93106 is $2,100 (±$980) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — University of California-Santa Barbara CDP, California
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — University of California-Santa Barbara CDP, California
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — University of California-Santa Barbara CDP, California
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — University of California-Santa Barbara CDP, California
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — University of California-Santa Barbara CDP, California
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — University of California-Santa Barbara CDP, California
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — University of California-Santa Barbara CDP, California
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
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 University of California-Santa Barbara CDP, California (place:81316, in state:06).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
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.
Figures last updated on .