Moving to Guadalupe, California

Guadalupe, California is a small town located on the Central Coast of California, in Santa Barbara County. It is situated between the cities of Santa Maria and Lompoc and is only a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. The city was founded in 1868 by Mexican immigrants who named it after the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe. Today, Guadalupe has a population of 7,080 people and covers an area of 1.5 square miles.

The main industry in Guadalupe is agriculture, which includes row crops such as cauliflower, lettuce and broccoli as well as vineyards and orchards that produce grapes for wine-making and apples for cider-making. The town also has some light manufacturing businesses in addition to tourism.

Guadalupe’s downtown area consists primarily of small shops and restaurants catering to locals and visitors alike. The most popular restaurant in town is El Charro Café which serves up traditional Mexican dishes like tacos, burritos and enchiladas with homemade salsa made from locally grown tomatoes. Other popular eateries include Cazadores Mexican Restaurant & Cantina which serves up classic dishes like fajitas with a twist; La Paloma Taqueria where customers can find delicious tacos al pastor; and Los Robles Café & Bar where visitors can enjoy a variety of craft beers on tap along with an eclectic menu featuring items like fish tacos and wood-fired pizzas.

The city also has several parks including Pioneer Park which features walking trails, picnic areas, playgrounds and a skate park; Las Flores Park which has soccer fields, basketball courts, volleyball courts and more; Mission Plaza Park which offers views of the historic mission church; River Park with its winding paths along the Santa Maria River; La Playa Beach Park with its sandy beach perfect for swimming or just relaxing by the shore; El Charro Park offering a peaceful oasis among lush greenery; Guadalupe Dunes Preserve where visitors can explore sand dunes along the ocean’s edge; plus many more smaller parks throughout town for families to enjoy together.

In addition to its recreational offerings, Guadalupe boasts several historical attractions including Mission La Purisima Concepcion de Maria Santisma which was founded in 1787 by Spanish missionaries; Old Town Hall Museum which houses artifacts from early settlers including photographs from 1868 when the city was first founded; La Purisima Cemetery where many early settlers are buried; plus many more interesting sites all worth exploring when visiting this charming little town on California’s Central Coast.

Population: 5,659. Estimated population in July 2024: 6,346 (+12.1% change)
Males: 2,886 (51.0%), Females: 2,773 (49.0%)

Santa Barbara County

Zip code: 93434

Demographics

Median resident age: 26.7 years
Median household income: $31,205
Median house value: $112,800

Population by Race

Races in Guadalupe:

• Hispanic (84.5%)
• Other race (38.7%)
• White Non-Hispanic (8.1%)
• Two or more races (7.2%)
• Filipino (4.0%)
• American Indian (3.1%)
• Japanese (1.0%)
• Black (0.7%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: United States (2.6%), German (2.1%), French (1.1%), Italian (1.1%).

Elevation: 85 feet

Land area: 1.4 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Guadalupe

• High school or higher: 43.6%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 4.3%
• Graduate or professional degree: 1.4%
• Unemployed: 8.6%
• Mean travel time to work: 24.1 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Guadalupe city

• Never married: 30.6%
• Now married: 55.3%
• Separated: 3.2%
• Widowed: 4.6%
• Divorced: 6.3%

40.5% Foreign born (36.6% Latin America).

Population change in the 1990s: +105 (+1.9%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Guadalupe:

• ARROYO GRANDE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (about 11 miles; ARROYO GRANDE, CA)
• MARIAN MEDICAL CENTER (about 17 miles; SANTA MARIA, CA)
• FRENCH HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER (about 22 miles; SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Guadalupe:

• SANTA MARIA PUB/CAPT G ALLAN HANCOCK FLD (about 11 miles; SANTA MARIA, CA; Abbreviation: SMX)
• SAN LUIS COUNTY REGIONAL (about 19 miles; SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA; Abbreviation: SBP)
• PASO ROBLES MUNI (about 49 miles; PASO ROBLES, CA; Abbreviation: PRB)

Other public-use airports nearest to Guadalupe:

• OCEANO COUNTY (about 10 miles; OCEANO, CA; Abbreviation: L52)
• VANDENBERG AFB (about 18 miles; LOMPOC, CA; Abbreviation: VBG)
• LOMPOC (about 23 miles; LOMPOC, CA; Abbreviation: LPC)

Amtrak stations near Guadalupe:

• 1 miles: GUADALUPE/SANTA MARIA (SANTA MARIA, 330 GUADELUPE ST.)
• 11 miles: SANTA MARIA (CYPRESS ST. & NICHOLSON AVE.) – Bus Station. Services: fully wheelchair accessible, public payphones, free short-term parking, call for taxi service, public transit connection.
• 12 miles: GROVER BEACH (180 GRAND AVE.). Services: fully wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public payphones, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Guadalupe:

• ALLAN HANCOCK COLLEGE (about 17 miles; SANTA MARIA, CA; Full-time enrollment: 6,037)
• CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIV-SAN LUIS OBISPO (about 28 miles; SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA; Full-time enrollment: 15,985)
• CUESTA COLLEGE (about 28 miles; SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA; Full-time enrollment: 6,121)
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-SANTA BARBARA (about 63 miles; SANTA BARBARA, CA; Full-time enrollment: 19,420)
• SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE (about 71 miles; SANTA BARBARA, CA; Full-time enrollment: 8,137)
• TAFT COLLEGE (about 81 miles; Taft, CA; Full-time enrollment: 2,801)
• WEST HILLS COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 87 miles; COALINGA, CA; Full-time enrollment: 2,406)

Public primary/middle schools in Guadalupe:

• BUREN (MARY) ELEMENTARY (Students: 803; Location: 1050 PERALTA ST.; Grades: KG – 05)
• MCKENZIE (KERMIT) JUNIOR HIGH (Students: 407; Location: 4710 W. MAIN ST.; Grades: 06 – 08)