HomeCaliforniaSanta Barbara County
Santa Barbara County, California: commercial real estate data.
Santa Barbara County, California had an estimated 444,500 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 448,217, across 2,735 square miles. County output reached $41.42 bn in 2024, 12,484 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 423 7(a) approvals worth $276.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Santa Barbara County
How many people live in Santa Barbara County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024443,701
- Households149,608
- Average household size2.97
- Median household income$98,161
- Median age34.6
- Median gross rent$2,131 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$790,700
- Home value to household income8.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income26.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher36.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over278,364
- Population under 1899,399
- Share under 1822.4 percent
- Population 65 and over73,710
- Share 65 and over16.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64270,592
- Civilian labor force219,992
- Unemployment rate6.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.9 percent
- Rank by population among California counties20th of 58
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included164th of 3,222
Santa Barbara County is the 20th largest of 58 California counties by population. A median home costs 8.1 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.4 percent against 16.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Santa Barbara County
Is Santa Barbara County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024444,500
- Census 2020 base population448,217
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.83 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024979
- Births, 20245,563
- Deaths, 20243,458
- Natural change, 20242,105
- Net domestic migration, 2024-4,612
- Net international migration, 20243,487
- Total net migration, 2024-1,125
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-20,261
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2128th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.83 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Births exceeded deaths in 2024 by more than net migration took away, so the population grew even though more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Santa Barbara County
Where are people moving to Santa Barbara County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving7,989
- People arriving, from those returns12,591
- Tax returns filed by households leaving10,788
- Net household movement-2,799
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.35 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$334.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$169,326
- Average income of a leaving household$94,361
- Largest single originLos Angeles County (1,126 households)
- Largest single destinationLos Angeles County (1,082 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | 1,126 | 1,664 | $220.7 m |
| San Luis Obispo County | 709 | 1,229 | $53.3 m |
| Ventura County | 632 | 998 | $64.6 m |
| San Diego County | 313 | 452 | $23.7 m |
| Orange County | 275 | 392 | $25.6 m |
| Santa Clara County | 168 | 261 | $65.8 m |
| Kern County | 167 | 325 | $22.0 m |
| Riverside County | 150 | 231 | $11.0 m |
Households arriving report $74,965 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Los Angeles County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Santa Barbara County
What is the Santa Barbara County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$41.42 bn
- County GDP, 2023$38.64 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.2 percent
- GDP change over five years33.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the California areas BEA publishes16th of 58
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes144th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$93,361
Output grew 7.2 percent in the latest year and 33.4 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Santa Barbara County
Employment by industry in Santa Barbara County
- Covered employment, annual average216,323
- Establishments reporting17,497
- Average annual pay$69,664
- Average weekly wage$1,340
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment29,638
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, average annual pay$40,579
- Health care and social assistance, employment28,097
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$69,623
- Accommodation and food services, employment24,101
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$35,120
- Retail trade, employment18,374
- Retail trade, average annual pay$43,516
- Manufacturing, employment12,476
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment12,190
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 29,638 | 563 | $40,579 |
| Health care and social assistance | 28,097 | 5,262 | $69,623 |
| Accommodation and food services | 24,101 | 1,208 | $35,120 |
| Retail trade | 18,374 | 1,418 | $43,516 |
| Manufacturing | 12,476 | 597 | $97,824 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 12,190 | 1,686 | $141,459 |
| Construction | 10,344 | 1,384 | $73,380 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 9,856 | 764 | $51,108 |
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting is the largest private sector at 29,638 jobs, 13.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Santa Barbara County
How many businesses are in Santa Barbara County?
- Establishments, all industries12,484
- Employment at those establishments160,460
- Annual payroll$11.08 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.1
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Santa Barbara County
Building permits in Santa Barbara County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024750
- Declared construction value permitted$302.2 m
- Single family units authorized481
- Multifamily units authorized269
- Multifamily share of units35.9 percent
- Average declared value per unit$402,922
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.0
Single-family homes are 64.1 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Santa Barbara County
SBA loans in Santa Barbara County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded423
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$276.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$652,617
- Median 7(a) approval$275,000
- 10th percentile approval$49,200
- 90th percentile approval$1,787,200
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)4,698
- Jobs per approval11.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active77
- Distinct industries receiving approvals170
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer19.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms83
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter325
- Franchise loans28
- Franchise share of approvals6.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (23)
- Most active lenderAmerican Riviera Bank (47)
- 504 approvals recorded248
- 504 gross approval dollars$228.0 m
- Average 504 approval$919,266
- Median 504 approval$611,000
- Distinct CDCs active14
- 504 jobs per approval13.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved15.0
- Most active CDCCen Cal Business Finance Group (73)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$504.0 m
The average approval of $652,617 sits well above the median of $275,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 19.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Santa Barbara County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Santa Barbara County
Do SBA loans in Santa Barbara County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded78
- Paid in full72
- Charged off6
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans7.7 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure255
- Status: Charged off6
- Status: Paid in full72
- Status: Cancelled68
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed22
Of the 78 loans that have reached a final outcome, 7.7 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Santa Barbara County
SBA lending by place in Santa Barbara County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending17
- Santa Barbara, approvals167
- Santa Maria, approvals103
- Lompoc, approvals38
- Goleta, approvals35
- Carpinteria, approvals28
- Buellton, approvals17
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara | 167 | $112,632,600 |
| Santa Maria | 103 | $76,211,600 |
| Lompoc | 38 | $20,175,500 |
| Goleta | 35 | $20,227,900 |
| Carpinteria | 28 | $7,329,500 |
| Buellton | 17 | $17,408,200 |
| Solvang | 10 | $7,294,600 |
| Santa Ynez | 8 | $7,544,300 |
| 9 other borrower cities | 17 | $7,232,700 |
Santa Barbara accounts for 167 approvals against 103 in Santa Maria. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Santa Barbara County
How large is Santa Barbara County?
- Land area2,735 sq mi
- Rank by land area among California counties21st of 58
- Width, east to west70.4 mi
- Height, north to south84.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land162
- Establishments per square mile4.56
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Santa Barbara County
Flood risk in Santa Barbara County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Santa Barbara County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 060331
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 6
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 6
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
- Radon levels in Santa Barbara County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Santa Barbara County (community 060331), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 6, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Santa Barbara County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 6, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Santa Barbara County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Santa Barbara County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024443,701
- Households149,608
- Average household size2.97
- Median household income$98,161
- Median age34.6
Common questions
Santa Barbara County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Santa Barbara County, California?
The Census Bureau estimates 444,500 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 443,701, in 149,608 households, ranking 20th of 58 California counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Santa Barbara County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.83 percent since the 2020 census base of 448,217, to 444,500 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 5,563 births against 3,458 deaths, with net migration of -1,125. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Santa Barbara County?
$98,161. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $790,700, which is 8.1 times income, and median gross rent is $2,131 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Santa Barbara County?
12,484 establishments, employing 160,460 people with an annual payroll of $11.08 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Santa Barbara County?
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting is the largest private sector at 29,638 jobs, 13.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 216,323 jobs at an average annual pay of $69,664, or $1,340 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Santa Barbara County?
423 7(a) approvals totaling $276.1 m since FY2020, across 77 lenders, with a median approval of $275,000, plus 248 504 approvals worth $228.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Santa Barbara County get paid back?
Of the 78 loans that have reached a final outcome, 72 were paid in full and 6 charged off, a charge-off rate of 7.7 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Santa Barbara County?
750 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $302.2 m. Multifamily was 35.9 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Santa Barbara County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Santa Barbara County come from?
The largest single origin is Los Angeles County, with 1,126 households. Arriving households report an average income of $169,326 against $94,361 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Santa Barbara County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Santa Barbara County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Santa Barbara County
Cities and places in Santa Barbara.
28 Census places lie wholly or partly in Santa Barbara County. All 28 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | city | 110,462 | 103 | Wholly in this county |
| Santa Barbara | city | 87,779 | 167 | Wholly in this county |
| Lompoc | city | 43,646 | 38 | Wholly in this county |
| Goleta | city | 32,685 | 35 | Wholly in this county |
| Orcutt | CDP | 31,454 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Eastern Goleta Valley | CDP | 28,295 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Isla Vista | CDP | 13,920 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Carpinteria | city | 13,036 | 28 | Wholly in this county |
| University of California | CDP | 12,121 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Montecito | CDP | 9,031 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Guadalupe | city | 8,566 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Vandenberg Village | CDP | 6,776 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Solvang | city | 6,034 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Buellton | city | 5,074 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Santa Ynez | CDP | 4,467 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Mission Hills | CDP | 3,859 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Vandenberg AFB | CDP | 3,477 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mission Canyon | CDP | 2,357 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Toro Canyon | CDP | 1,477 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Summerland | CDP | 1,348 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Los Alamos | CDP | 1,163 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Los Olivos | CDP | 1,038 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Ballard | CDP | 863 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| New Cuyama | CDP | 555 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sisquoc | CDP | 158 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Casmalia | CDP | 55 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Garey | CDP | 28 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cuyama | CDP | 21 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 4 of the county's 423 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Santa Barbara County, the largest being Sacramento (1), Whitehall (1), Vandenberg Air Force Base (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby