Moving to Santa Barbara, California

by btobers · Published June 5, 2019 · Updated November 18, 2024

The city of Santa Barbara is the featured attraction, with its picturesque waterfront and abundant attractions, museums, trendy restaurants and boutiques. All of the ingredients that make this seaside city north of Los Angeles such a special place came together for us. The morning temperature was a breezy 18ºC; the skies were clear and blue. Foamy waves lapped the golden sand on our right, while on the other side the purple silhouettes of the Santa Inez Mountains loomed over the city’s signature white stucco buildings with red-tile roofs.

Population: 92,325. Estimated population in July 2024: 85,899 (-7.0% change)
Males: 45,454 (49.2%), Females: 46,871 (50.8%)

Santa Barbara County

Zip codes93101>1, 93103>3, 93105>5, 93108>8, 93109>9, 93110>0, 93111>1.

Demographics

Median resident age: 34.6 years
Median household income: $47,498
Median house value: $479,800

Population by Race

Races in Santa Barbara:

White Non-Hispanic (58.3%)
Hispanic (35.0%)
Other race (16.4%)
Two or more races (3.8%)
American Indian (1.9%)
Black (1.8%)
Japanese (0.7%)
Chinese (0.6%)

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

Ancestries: German (11.4%), English (10.8%), Irish (8.9%), Italian (4.7%), French (3.3%), United States (2.7%).

Elevation: 50 feet

Land area: 19.0 square miles

Map of Santa Barbara, CA

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Santa Barbara

High school or higher: 81.3%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 39.6%
Graduate or professional degree: 15.6%
Unemployed: 5.8%
Mean travel time to work: 16.7 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Santa Barbara city

Never married: 34.0%
Now married: 47.0%
Separated: 2.0%
Widowed: 5.7%
Divorced: 11.2%

25.3% Foreign born (17.9% Latin America, 4.0% Europe).

Population change in the 1990s: +6,646 (+7.8%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Santa Barbara:

GOLETA VALLEY COTTAGE HOSPITAL (351 S PATTERSON AVE)
REHAB INSTITUTE AT SANTA BARBARA,THE (2415 DE LA VINA)
SANTA BARBARA CNTY PSYCH HLTH FACILITY (315 CAMINO DEL REMEDIO)
SANTA BARBARA COTTAGE HOSPITAL (PUEBLO AT BATH STREET)
ST FRANCIS MED CENTER OF SANTA BARBARA (601 E MICHELTORENA ST)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Santa Barbara:

SANTA BARBARA MUNI (about 9 miles; SANTA BARBARA, CA; Abbreviation: SBA)
OXNARD (about 39 miles; OXNARD, CA; Abbreviation: OXR)
POINT MUGU NAS (NAVAL BASE VENTURA CNTY) (about 47 miles; POINT MUGU, CA; Abbreviation: NTD)

Other public-use airports nearest to Santa Barbara:

SANTA YNEZ (about 28 miles; SANTA YNEZ, CA; Abbreviation: IZA)
NEW CUYAMA (about 35 miles; NEW CUYAMA, CA; Abbreviation: L88)
CAMARILLO (about 47 miles; CAMARILLO, CA; Abbreviation: CMA)

Amtrak station:
SANTA BARBARA (209 STATE ST.). Services: ticket office, fully wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, full-service food facilities, free short-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/Universities in Santa Barbara:

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-SANTA BARBARA (Full-time enrollment: 19,420; Public; Website: www.ucsb.edu; Offers Doctor’s degree)
SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 8,137; Location: 721 CLIFF DR; Public; Website: www.sbcc.net)
WESTMONT COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 1,328; Location: 955 LA PAZ RD; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.westmont.edu)
THE FIELDING INSTITUTE (Full-time enrollment: 1,237; Location: 2112 SANTA BARBARA ST; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.fielding.edu; Offers Doctor’s degree)
BROOKS INSTITUTE OF PHOTOGRAPHY (Full-time enrollment: 670; Location: 801 ALSTON RD; Private, for-profit; Website: www.brooks.edu; Offers Master’s degree)
ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY-SANTA BARBARA BRANCH (Full-time enrollment: 207; Location: 801 GARDEN ST; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.antiochsb.edu; Offers Master’s degree)
SANTA BARBARA COLLEGE OF ORIENTAL MEDICINE (Full-time enrollment: 84; Location: 1919 STATE ST STE 207; Private, for-profit; Website: www.sbcom.edu; Offers Master’s degree)
SANTA BARBARA BUSINESS COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 55; Location: 5266 HOLLISTER AVE BLDG B; Private, for-profit; Website: www.sbbcollege.com)
UNIVERSITY OF SANTA BARBARA (Location: 5266 HOLLISTER AVE BLDG A117; Private, not-for-profit; Offers Doctor’s degree)

Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Santa Barbara:

VENTURA COLLEGE (about 36 miles; VENTURA, CA; Full-time enrollment: 6,285)
OXNARD COLLEGE (about 43 miles; OXNARD, CA; Full-time enrollment: 3,760)
TAFT COLLEGE (about 55 miles; Taft, CA; Full-time enrollment: 2,801)
ALLAN HANCOCK COLLEGE (about 55 miles; SANTA MARIA, CA; Full-time enrollment: 6,037)
MOORPARK COLLEGE (about 60 miles; Moorpark, CA; Full-time enrollment: 7,773)
CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY (about 61 miles; THOUSAND OAKS, CA; Full-time enrollment: 2,322)
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY-BAKERSFIELD (about 66 miles; BAKERSFIELD, CA; Full-time enrollment: 5,273)

Schools

Public high schools in Santa Barbara:

SANTA BARBARA SENIOR HIGH (Students: 2,355; Location: 700 E. ANAPAMU ST.; Grades: 09 – 12)
SAN MARCOS SENIOR HIGH (Students: 2,077; Location: 4750 HOLLISTER AVE.; Grades: 09 – 12)
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY COMMUNITY (Students: 336; Location: 430 E. GUTIERREZ ST.; Grades: 07 – 12)
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY JUVENILE COURT (Students: 237; Location: 4400 CATHEDRAL OAKS ROAD; Grades: 07 – 12)
LA CUESTA CONTINUATION HIGH (Students: 155; Location: 905 N. NOPAL; Grades: 09 – 12)
SAN MARCOS CONTINUATION HIGH (Students: 46; Location: 4750 HOLLISTER AVE.; Grades: 09 – 12)
LAS ALTURAS CONTINUATION HIGH (Students: 31; Location: 4025 FOOTHILL ROAD; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high schools in Santa Barbara:

BISHOP GARCIA DIEGO H S (Students: 342; Location: 4000 LA COLINA ROAD; Grades: 9 – 12)
LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL (Students: 334; Location: 4125 PALOMA DRIVE; Grades: KG – 12)
ANACAPA SCHOOL THE (Students: 60; Location: 814 SANTA BARBARA ST; Grades: 7 – 12)
FAITH ACADEMY (Students: 50; Location: 4200 CALLE REAL; Grades: KG – 12)
LOS OSOS (Students: 16; Location: 4449 VIEJA DR.; Grades: 6 – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in Santa Barbara:

SANTA BARBARA JUNIOR HIGH (Students: 1,022; Location: 721 E. COTA ST.; Grades: 07 – 08)
LA COLINA JUNIOR HIGH (Students: 991; Location: 4025 FOOTHILL ROAD; Grades: 07 – 08)
FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY (Students: 749; Location: 1111 EAST MASON ST.; Grades: KG – 06)
PEABODY CHARTER ELEMENTARY (Students: 701; Location: 3018 CALLE NOGUERRA; Grades: KG – 06)
ADAMS ELEMENTARY (Students: 627; Location: 2701 LAS POSITAS ROAD; Grades: KG – 06)
HARDING ELEMENTARY (Students: 606; Location: 1625 ROBBINS ST.; Grades: KG – 06)
LA CUMBRE MIDDLE (Students: 562; Location: 2255 MODOC ROAD; Grades: 07 – 08)
MONROE ELEMENTARY (Students: 541; Location: 431 FLORA VISTA DR.; Grades: KG – 06)
MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY (Students: 537; Location: 350 LOMA ALTA DR.; Grades: KG – 06)
ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY (Students: 524; Location: 1990 LAGUNA ST.; Grades: KG – 06)

Biggest private primary/middle schools in Santa Barbara:

ST RAPHAEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 348; Location: 160 ST JOSEPH STREET; Grades: PK – 8)
MARYMOUNT OF SANTA BARBARA (Students: 243; Location: 2130 MISSION RIDGE RD; Grades: KG – 8)
NOTRE DAME SCHOOL (Students: 238; Location: 33 E MICHELTORENA ST; Grades: KG – 8)
OUR LADY OF MT CARMEL SCHOOL (Students: 238; Location: 530 HOT SPRINGS ROAD; Grades: KG – 8)
SAN ROQUE SCHOOL (Students: 234; Location: 3214 CALLE CEDRO; Grades: PK – 8)
CRANE SCHOOL (Students: 223; Location: 1795 SAN LEANDRO LANE; Grades: KG – 8)
WALDORF SCHOOL OF SANTA BARBAR (Students: 162; Location: 2300 B GARDEN ST.; Grades: PK – 8)
SANTA BARBARA MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 156; Location: 2300A GARDEN ST.; Grades: 6 – 9)
SANTA BARBARA MONTESSORI SCH (Students: 148; Location: 935 SAN ANDREAS ST; Grades: PK – 8)
DEVEREUX FOUNDATION CALIFORNIA (Students: 120; Location: P. O. BOX 1079; Grades: UG – UG)

Libraries

Library in Santa Barbara:

SANTA BARBARA PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $5,173,231; Location: 40 E. ANAPAMU ST.; 369,647 books; 13,688 audio materials; 12,184 video materials; 452 serial subscriptions)