Santa Barbara, California Housing Market Prices
Santa Barbara Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 210% above the California median$2,019,848
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Median rent 18% above the California median$2,400
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Santa Barbara | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $2,019,848 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 10.2% | 8.9% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $2,400 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.6% | 5.8% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Santa Barbara is about 210% higher than in California. Rent is about 18% higher than the California average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Santa Barbara, up about 10.2% and 5.6% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Santa Barbara rose about 60.3% between 2015 and 2024, from $1,497 to $2,400. Over the same span, rent in California rose about 62.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 18.5 yearly household incomes in Santa Barbara.
Buying the median-priced home in Santa Barbara costs roughly 70.1 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Santa Barbara. The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 26.6.
| Metric | Santa Barbara | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $2,019,848 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $109,181 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 18.5 | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Santa Barbara rose about 99.5%, while median household income rose about 76.7% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Santa Barbara | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 36.4% | 51.7% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 56.3% | 40.8% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 7.3% | 7.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 13.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2013 | 2011 | 2011 |
Santa Barbara has a homeownership rate of 36.4%, lower than the California average of 51.7%. Its housing vacancy rate is 7.3%, compared with 7.5% in California.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Santa Barbara | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.38 people | 2.84 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1965 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 4.3 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Santa Barbara was built around 1965. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 4.3 rooms, staying for about 13.0 years on average.
Santa Barbara, CA Housing Compared With Nearby Cities
How Santa Barbara, CA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara, CA | 82,703 | $2,019,848 #1/2 | $2,400 #2/2 | 39.2% #2/2 |
| Eastern Goleta Valley, CA | 26,421 | $651,153 | $2,512 | 64.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Santa Barbara, California.
What is the median home price in Santa Barbara, California?
The median home price in Santa Barbara, California is $2,019,848, higher than the California average of $650,794.
What is the average home price in Santa Barbara, California?
The typical home price in Santa Barbara, California, reported as the median sale price, is $2,019,848. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Santa Barbara, California?
The median gross rent in Santa Barbara, California is $2,400 per month, higher than the California average of $2,036.
What was the median gross rent in Santa Barbara in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Santa Barbara, California was $1,860 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Santa Barbara, California?
The price-to-rent ratio in Santa Barbara, California is about 70.1, meaning it would take roughly 70.1 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Santa Barbara.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Santa Barbara, California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Santa Barbara, up about 10.2% and 5.6% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Santa Barbara, California?
36.4% of households in Santa Barbara, California own their home, lower than the California average of 51.7%.
What is the vacancy rate in Santa Barbara, California?
The housing vacancy rate in Santa Barbara, California is 7.3%, lower than the California average of 7.5%.
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