Santa Barbara, California Income Statistics
Santa Barbara 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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B
Santa Barbara Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Santa Barbara | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $109,181 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $75,028 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.2% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 23.4% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 25.0% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Santa Barbara is about 10% higher than in California. Income has been growing faster in Santa Barbara (6.2%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 23% of adults in Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara, California grew by 89.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $109,181 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.2% per year.
Santa Barbara has stayed well above the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never fallen below it. The gap has widened from 13% in 2009, the closest it has been, to 36% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Santa Barbara
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 17,956 households (53.3% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 17.1% of households in Santa Barbara had an income under $35,000 and 37.7% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Santa Barbara has a larger share of households earning $200,000 or more (25.0% vs 13.2%) and a smaller share earning $35,000 to $49,999 (6.9% vs 10.1%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 1,650 | 4.9% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 947 | 2.8% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,816 | 5.4% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,357 | 4.0% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 2,324 | 6.9% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 4,171 | 12.4% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 3,477 | 10.3% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 5,245 | 15.6% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 4,270 | 12.7% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 8,441 | 25.0% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 33,699 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 16,549 residents (23.4% 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 26.4% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 11.4% of Santa Barbara residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 26.2% had some income but less than $25,000, and 32.5% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Santa Barbara has a larger share of residents earning $100,000 or more (23.4% vs 13.9%) and a smaller share earning $25,000 to $34,999 (6.7% vs 9.5%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 8,087 | 11.4% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 8,412 | 11.9% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 3,545 | 5.0% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 6,593 | 9.3% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 4,749 | 6.7% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 7,048 | 10.0% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 9,297 | 13.2% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 6,388 | 9.0% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 16,549 | 23.4% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 70,670 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 11.4% 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 Santa Barbara
| Metric | Santa Barbara | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.542 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $84,807 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $80,433 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 5.2% | 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 Santa Barbara, it is 0.542, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 5% more than women's income in Santa Barbara, California. Over a 35-year career, a 5% wage gap accumulates to roughly $153,090 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Santa Barbara, California has narrowed from about 8% to 5% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2013, and was narrowest at 2% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $681 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Santa Barbara | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 18.8% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 2,670 people are unemployed in Santa Barbara, California.
The average commute time in Santa Barbara is 13 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Santa Barbara, California has fallen from 6.5% to 5.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.7% in 2013 and fell as low as 3.8% in 2020.
Santa Barbara stayed below the U.S. unemployment rate from 2011 to 2023, starting 2.2 points lower, and rose above it in the latest figures (2024), at 0.6 points higher.
Santa Barbara, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
How Santa Barbara, CA compares with the 1 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara, CA | 82,703 | $109,181 #2/2 | 6.2%/yr #1/2 | 5.9% #2/2 | 0.542 #2/2 |
| Eastern Goleta Valley, CA | 26,421 | $126,066 | 4.5%/yr | 3.7% | 0.534 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Santa Barbara, California has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than California, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Santa Barbara, California.
How Rich Is Santa Barbara, California?
Santa Barbara has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $109,181, about 10% higher than the California average of $99,161.
How has median household income changed in Santa Barbara, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Santa Barbara, California rose 89%, from $57,693 to $109,181. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +89% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Santa Barbara in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Santa Barbara, California was $101,206, up 5% from $96,650 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Santa Barbara in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Santa Barbara, California was $81,400. By 2024 it had risen 34% to $109,181.
Is Santa Barbara, California a high-income area?
Yes. 23% of adults in Santa Barbara, California earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 4), against 18% (about 1 in 6) in California. 25% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 20% in California.
What is the Gini coefficient in Santa Barbara, California?
The Gini coefficient in Santa Barbara is 0.542. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Santa Barbara, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Santa Barbara, California has narrowed from about 8% to 5% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2013, and was narrowest at 2% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $681 since 2009.
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