Eastern Goleta Valley, California Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Eastern Goleta Valley, CA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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B
Income Around average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Eastern Goleta Valley | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,421 | 39,245,658 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1565.3 | 239.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.98% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 46.3 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 10,123 | 13,531,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Eastern Goleta Valley grew by 6.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 26,421 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Eastern Goleta Valley is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 20.8% of residents. That is 0.9 points below California as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 5,500 20.8% -0.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,601 17.4% -6.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,405 20.5% +0.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,439 20.6% +5.3 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below California, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.1% of the people living in Eastern Goleta Valley and men 49.9%.
- Women 50.1% California 49.9%
- Men 49.9% California 50.1%
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Economy
Eastern Goleta Valley has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Eastern Goleta Valley | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $126,066 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.51% | 5.57% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Eastern Goleta Valley is about 27% higher than in California.
Housing
| Metric | Eastern Goleta Valley | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $651,153 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,512 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.1% | 55.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Eastern Goleta Valley is about 21.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,512 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Eastern Goleta Valley spend about 27 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 114 hours, about 4.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Eastern Goleta Valley | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.7 | 23.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 27.5 | 47.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 114 | 196 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,549 | $6,065 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 22.4% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 23,479 | 16,509 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,178 | 2,449 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Eastern Goleta Valley is 14 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Eastern Goleta Valley has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Eastern Goleta Valley | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.2% | 33.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.51 | 2.84 | 2.53 |
Health
Eastern Goleta Valley has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Eastern Goleta Valley | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 82.9 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 11.9% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 8.8% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Eastern Goleta Valley, CA Compared With Nearby Cities
How Eastern Goleta Valley, CA compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Goleta Valley, CA | 26,421 | $126,066 #1/3 | $651,153 #2/3 | 13.7 min #1/3 |
| Goleta, CA | 30,860 | $125,960 | $283,299 | 16.0 min |
| Santa Barbara, CA | 82,703 | $109,181 | $2,019,848 | 13.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Eastern Goleta Valley, California.
How many people live in Eastern Goleta Valley, California?
About 26,421 people live in Eastern Goleta Valley, California, in 10,123 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 46.3, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 9 years.
Is Eastern Goleta Valley, California urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Eastern Goleta Valley, California has 1,565 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 18 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Eastern Goleta Valley, California?
The median home costs 5.2 times the median household income ($651,153 against $126,066), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $2,512 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Eastern Goleta Valley, California?
Unemployment in Eastern Goleta Valley, California is only 3.7%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Eastern Goleta Valley, California?
46.2% of adults in Eastern Goleta Valley, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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