Santa Maria, California Income Statistics
Santa Maria 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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D
Santa Maria Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Santa Maria | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $81,540 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,304 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.1% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.8% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 10.1% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Santa Maria is about 18% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Santa Maria (6.1%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Santa Maria earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Santa Maria, California grew by 68.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $81,540 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.1% per year.
Santa Maria started 5.3% below the U.S. median household income in 2009 but had overtaken it by 2020, and has not been below it since. In 2024 its income was 1.3% higher.
Income Distribution in Santa Maria
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 10,908 households (39.8% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 19.4% of households in Santa Maria had an income under $35,000 and 19.7% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Santa Maria has a larger share of households earning $100,000 to $149,999 (20.1% vs 17.4%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (10.1% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 974 | 3.6% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 770 | 2.8% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,777 | 6.5% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,793 | 6.5% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 2,989 | 10.9% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 4,408 | 16.1% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 3,779 | 13.8% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 5,501 | 20.1% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 2,639 | 9.6% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 2,768 | 10.1% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 27,397 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 5,173 residents (6.8% 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 8.4% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 19.0% of Santa Maria residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 30.9% had some income but less than $25,000, and 12.0% 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 Maria has a larger share of residents with no personal income (19.0% vs 12.8%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (6.8% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 14,556 | 19.0% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 7,511 | 9.8% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 5,661 | 7.4% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 10,423 | 13.6% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 11,184 | 14.6% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 9,034 | 11.8% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 8,898 | 11.6% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 3,971 | 5.2% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 5,173 | 6.8% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 76,411 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 19.0% 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 Maria
| Metric | Santa Maria | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.569 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $50,261 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,002 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.4% | 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 Maria, it is 0.569, about the same as California's 0.572, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 23% more than women's income in Santa Maria, California. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $324,065 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 Maria, California has widened from about 8% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 4% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,782 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Santa Maria widened by 10.8 points while California's narrowed by 4.3 points.
Employment
| Metric | Santa Maria | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.5% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,467 people are unemployed in Santa Maria, California.
The average commute time in Santa Maria is 20 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Santa Maria, California has fallen from 10.6% to 7.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.5% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.9% in 2019.
Santa Maria has been above the U.S. unemployment rate in most years since 2011, but dipped below it in 2016-2019 (as much as 0.6 points lower). In 2024 its rate was 1.8 points higher.
Santa Maria, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
How Santa Maria, 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 Maria, CA | 102,938 | $81,540 #2/2 | 6.1%/yr #1/2 | 7.0% #2/2 | 0.569 #2/2 |
| Orcutt, CA | 25,534 | $104,449 | 3.8%/yr | 4.0% | 0.546 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Santa Maria, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Santa Maria, California.
How Rich Is Santa Maria, California?
Santa Maria has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $81,540, about 18% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Santa Maria, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Santa Maria, California rose 68%, from $48,407 to $81,540. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +68% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Santa Maria in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Santa Maria, California was $82,565, up 4% from $79,672 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Santa Maria in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Santa Maria, California was $66,874. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $81,540.
What is the Gini coefficient in Santa Maria, California?
The Gini coefficient in Santa Maria is 0.569. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Santa Maria, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Santa Maria, California has widened from about 8% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 4% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,782 since 2009.
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