Goleta, California Income Statistics
Goleta Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Goleta Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Goleta | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $125,960 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $72,381 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.9% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 18.4% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 25.5% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Goleta is about 27% higher than in California. Income has been growing faster in Goleta (5.9%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 18% of adults in Goleta earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Goleta, California grew by 83.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $125,960 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.9% per year.
Goleta has been far above the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024. Even at its closest, in 2010, its income was 31% higher. The gap has widened from 34% in 2009 to 57% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Goleta
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 6,179 households (60.2% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 11.2% of households in Goleta had an income under $35,000 and 40.1% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Goleta has a larger share of households earning $200,000 or more (25.5% vs 13.2%) and a smaller share earning $50,000 to $74,999 (10.9% vs 15.5%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 341 | 3.3% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 134 | 1.3% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 259 | 2.5% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 416 | 4.0% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 667 | 6.5% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 1,118 | 10.9% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 1,150 | 11.2% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 2,064 | 20.1% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 1,502 | 14.6% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 2,613 | 25.5% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 10,264 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 4,881 residents (18.4% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 20.7% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 10.9% of Goleta residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 28.0% had some income but less than $25,000, and 26.9% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Goleta has a larger share of residents earning $100,000 or more (18.4% vs 13.9%) and a smaller share with no personal income (10.9% vs 12.8%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 2,883 | 10.9% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 3,617 | 13.7% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 1,448 | 5.5% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 2,368 | 8.9% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 2,036 | 7.7% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 3,033 | 11.4% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 3,981 | 15.0% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 2,253 | 8.5% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 4,881 | 18.4% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 26,500 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 10.9% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Goleta
| Metric | Goleta | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.548 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $82,439 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $72,814 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 11.7% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Goleta, it is 0.548, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 13% more than women's income in Goleta, California. Over a 35-year career, a 13% wage gap accumulates to roughly $336,875 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Goleta, California has narrowed from about 30% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap in 2021 women out-earned men by 4%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $6,999 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Goleta | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 18.2% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 942 people are unemployed in Goleta, California.
The average commute time in Goleta is 15 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Goleta, California has fallen from 5.9% to 5.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.0% in 2017 and fell as low as 4.6% in 2022.
Goleta has crossed the U.S. unemployment rate 5 times since 2011, most recently moving above it by 2023. In 2024 its rate was 0.1 points higher.
Goleta, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
How Goleta, CA compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goleta, CA | 30,860 | $125,960 #2/3 | 5.9%/yr #2/3 | 5.4% #2/3 | 0.548 #3/3 |
| Eastern Goleta Valley, CA | 26,421 | $126,066 | 4.5%/yr | 3.7% | 0.534 |
| Santa Barbara, CA | 82,703 | $109,181 | 6.2%/yr | 5.9% | 0.542 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Goleta, California has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with California, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Goleta, California.
How Rich Is Goleta, California?
Goleta has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $125,960, about 27% higher than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Goleta, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Goleta, California rose 84%, from $68,571 to $125,960. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +84% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Goleta in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Goleta, California was $118,484, up 3% from $114,709 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Goleta in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Goleta, California was $96,733. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $125,960.
What is the Gini coefficient in Goleta, California?
The Gini coefficient in Goleta is 0.548. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Goleta, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Goleta, California has narrowed from about 30% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap in 2021 women out-earned men by 4%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $6,999 since 2009.
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