Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

2024 Population

443,701

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Adam Schiff

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

34.6

0.29% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

14.7%

7.03% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$98,161

2.28% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

Population & Diversity

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is home to a population of 444k people, from which 86.7% are citizens.

As of 2024, 22.2% of Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA residents were born outside of the country (98.4k people).

In 2024, there were 1.84 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (180k people) in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 97.9k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 65.3k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

86.7%

2024 Citizenship

86.6%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 86.7% of Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA was 86.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
180k ± 602
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
97.9k ± 4.12k
Other (Hispanic)
65.3k ± 3.35k

48.2%

Hispanic Population

214k people

48.2% of the people in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA are hispanic (214k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,877,888 ± 45,899 people
Philippines
827,719 ± 22,100 people
China
695,724 ± 20,296 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,877,888 California residents, followed by Philippines with 827,719 and China with 695,724.

Foreign-Born Population

22.2%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

98.4k people

22.1%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

98.1k people

As of 2024, 22.2% of Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA residents (98.4k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA was 22.1%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
6,072 ± 509
Gulf War (2001-)
3,160 ± 464
Gulf War (1990s)
1,941 ± 316

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.92 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.

Health

91.3% of the population of Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA has health coverage, with 40.6% on employee plans, 23.6% on Medicaid, 11.7% on Medicare, 14.1% on non-group plans, and 1.25% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in California see 1,233 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,233 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1076 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 213 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

1,233 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in California

Primary care physicians in California see an average of 1,233 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,233 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in California in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.2% under 18 years, 25.4% between 18 and 34 years, 32.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.68%

Uninsured

40.6%

Employer Coverage

23.6%

Medicaid

11.7%

Medicare

14.1%

Non-Group

1.25%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA declined by 5.83% from 9.21% to 8.68%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Economy

The economy of Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA employs 206k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA were Health Care & Social Assistance (25,487 people), Educational Services (23,740 people), and Retail Trade (19,353 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($110,976), Utilities ($105,268), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($99,317).

Employment

Occupations

206k

2024 Value

± 3,737

−0.533%

1 Year decline

± 2.57%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA declined at a rate of −0.533%, from 207k employees to 206k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, are Management Occupations (23,148 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (18,099 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (16,774 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

206k

2024 Value

± 3,737

−0.533%

1 Year decline

± 2.57%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA declined at a rate of −0.533%, from 207k employees to 206k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (25,487 people), Educational Services (23,740 people), and Retail Trade (19,353 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, though some of these residents may live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$52,265

Median earning men ± $1,319

$38,301

Median earning women ± $1,248

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($100,007), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($93,283), and Information ($86,614).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($68,986), Public Administration ($67,380), and Construction ($62,746).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,089
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
779
Health Care and Social Assistance
749
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.59M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$1.31M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$1.06M
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

The student population of Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 23,636 male students and 30,352 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA are Hispanic or Latino (7,240 and 41.9%), White (6,219 and 36%), Asian (1,816 and 10.5%), and Two or More Races (1,060 and 6.13%).

The largest universities in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA by number of degrees awarded are University of California-Santa Barbara (7,895 and 42.6%), Allan Hancock College (5,186 and 28%), and Santa Barbara City College (4,074 and 22%).

The most popular majors in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (3,575 and 19.3%), Sociology (804 and 4.33%), and Biological & Physical Sciences (797 and 4.3%).

The median tuition costs are $39,000 for private four year colleges, and $12,260 and $44,148 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 33.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 13.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 53,988 (43.8% men and 56.2% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2024 there were 53,988 students enrolled in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, 43.8% men and 56.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 20,080 records, of which 59.5% were women and 40.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Econometrics & Quantitative Economics
702 degrees awarded
Sociology
661 degrees awarded
General Communication
649 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA was Econometrics & Quantitative Economics with 702 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of California-Santa Barbara
7,895 degrees awarded
Allan Hancock College
5,186 degrees awarded
Santa Barbara City College
4,074 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of California-Santa Barbara with 7,895 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 7,649 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, which is 0.701 times less than the 10,905 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 7,240 degrees mean that there were 1.16 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 6,219 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($39,000) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,184) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,600) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA was $790,700 in 2024, which is 2.38 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $735,700 to $790,700, a 7.48% increase. The homeownership rate in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is 52.4%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA have an average commute time of 20.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$790,700

Median Property Value 2024

±$17,571

$78,344

Median Property Taxes

±$1,875

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

52.4%

Homeownership

2024

69%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 52.4% of the housing units in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 52.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$98,161

Median Household Income

± $2,430

150k

Number of Households

± 3,003

In 2024, the median household income of the 150k households in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA grew to $98,161 from the previous year's value of $95,977.

The following chart displays the households in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is from California.

0.493

2024 Wage GINI in California

0.495

2023 Wage GINI in California

In 2024, the income inequality in California was 0.493 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.424% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (64.7%)
Worked At Home (13.4%)
Carpooled (11.7%)

In 2024, 64.7% of workers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13.4%) and those who carpooled to work (11.7%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

20.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA have a shorter commute time (20.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.51% of the workforce in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

14.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (62.4k out of 423k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is Hispanic, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798, followed by New York (5,087).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

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