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City · 13,920 residents · Santa Barbara County, California

Isla Vista , California

In Isla Vista, typical rent is $1,878 a month. Compared with all of Santa Barbara County, typical household income is 74% lower and typical rent is 12% lower.

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  • Typical rent

    $1,878a month

    12% below the county

    8% below California

    • Isla Vista
    • Santa Barbara
    • California

  • Typical household income

    $25,972a year

    74% below the county

    74% below California

    • Isla Vista
    • Santa Barbara
    • California

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$1,484,873
6.7% less than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$9,714 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Isla Vista is in Santa Barbara County. The FHA loan limit ($941,850 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Santa Barbara County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Isla Vista apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Isla Vista has the 2nd lowest typical household income of the 659 cities in California with more than 5,000 people ($25,972).

  2. Isla Vista has the 3rd largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 616 cities in California with more than 5,000 people (89%).

  3. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Isla Vista fell 6.7%; in California, it rose 0.6%.

  4. Nearby, in University of California-Santa Barbara, the typical rent is $1,526: 19% less than in Isla Vista ($1,878).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Isla Vista

What homes there are in Isla Vista, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

There are more apartments in Isla Vista than in Santa Barbara County: 72% of homes, against 22%.

Year built

The typical year built in Isla Vista is 1975, about the same as in Santa Barbara County (1974).

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$3,302 a month

Santa Barbara County: $2,973 a month

Owners with a mortgage

88%

Santa Barbara County: 63%

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The Census does not compare Isla Vista with 2015–2019 because its boundaries changed. In Santa Barbara County, over that time, the typical home value rose 37%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureIsla VistaSanta Barbara CountyCaliforniaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate3.3%4.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.6%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room 16.5%9.7%8.2%3.4%
People per household 2.522.812.842.53
Drive alone 50%65%66%69%
Carpool 3%12%10%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate2%3%3%
Walk or bike 32%6%3%3%
Work from home 9%13%17%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

More than one person per room: that is how 16.5% of households in Isla Vista live, more than in Santa Barbara County (9.7%).

On average, a household in Isla Vista has 2.52 people, fewer than in Santa Barbara County (2.81).

Many here get to work on foot or by bike: 32%, more than in Santa Barbara County (6%).

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Isla Vista?

The Census Bureau publishes no typical home value or typical household income for Isla Vista, so we don't measure how heavy the payment is. Enter your own numbers in the calculator. The Census Bureau publishes no typical home value for Isla Vista, so the calculator starts with the one for Santa Barbara County: $790,700. The rate is Freddie Mac’s weekly average (7.18%, November 5, 2026); yours may be different. The FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Santa Barbara County. Change the price, the down payment or the loan type and see how your payment changes.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Santa Barbara County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Isla Vista. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $27,675 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$6,367

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$776,378
Total interest
$1,117,026
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $13,353 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $606 a month

  • Tight

    $606 to $779 a month

  • Hard

    more than $779 a month

    Your payment · 294%

Compared with the typical household income in Isla Vista ($25,972 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$6,367
Principal & interest$5,259
Property tax$428
Home insurance$330
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$350

You need at least $27,675 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Isla Vista and Santa Barbara County

Isla Vista is in Santa Barbara County, California. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Isla Vista's own numbers

Typical monthly rent
$1,878
Typical yearly household income
$25,972

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Santa Barbara County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$941,850
Conventional limit, one unit
$941,850
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$3,106
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+56%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
3.6%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Santa Barbara County.

Everything about Santa Barbara County

Buying

Buying a home in Isla Vista

The Census Bureau publishes no typical home value for Isla Vista. Below are the numbers for Santa Barbara County.

How prices have changed in Santa Barbara County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Santa Barbara County rose 88% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Santa Barbara County.

Period County California U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.3% +0.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +56% +40% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +88% +80% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Isla Vista next to Santa Barbara County, California and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical monthly rent
  • Isla Vista $1,878
  • Santa Barbara $2,131
  • California $2,036
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Isla Vista $25,972
  • Santa Barbara $98,161
  • California $99,122
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Isla Vista next to Santa Barbara County and California
Measure Isla Vista Santa Barbara County California U.S.
Typical monthly rent $1,878 $2,131 $2,036 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $25,972 $98,161 $99,122 $80,734
Renters with high rent for their income 89% 58% 55% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Santa Barbara County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Isla Vista

The Census Bureau publishes no typical home value for Isla Vista, so we don't build this table. You can enter the price you're looking for in the calculator above.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Isla Vista and for Santa Barbara County.

Flood risk in Santa Barbara County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Santa Barbara County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
3.6%
4,422
Of those, with NFIP insurance
27%
County California U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 3.6% 2.8% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 27% 31% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Isla Vista

Typical rent in Isla Vista is $1,878 a month: 12% below the county. In Isla Vista, 89% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Santa Barbara County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($3,106 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $59.73 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Santa Barbara County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $2,479 $47.67 $99,160
1 bedroom $2,711 $52.13 $108,440
2 bedrooms $3,106 $59.73 $124,240
3 bedrooms $3,990 $76.73 $159,600
4 bedrooms $4,557 $87.63 $182,280

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Isla Vista

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Isla Vista is in ZIP code 93117.

For 2 bedrooms it is $3,360: $254 more than the fair market rent for Santa Barbara County ($3,106).

  • 93117 $3,360$4,320

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Isla Vista when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Isla Vista

HUD lists 2 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Isla Vista. These are the largest.

  • Pescadero Lofts 761 Camino Pescadero, Isla Vista 93117 33 homes, 32 low-income · Studio: 26 · 1 bd: 6 · 2 bd: 1 · In service since 2014 · For people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness
  • Parkview Apts (isla Vista) 6682 Picasso Rd, Isla Vista 93117 20 homes, 19 low-income · 1 bd: 8 · 2 bd: 12 · In service since 2008

See all 85 buildings in Santa Barbara County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Isla Vista

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Santa Barbara County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

An older woman smiles in front of her apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Isla Vista

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Isla Vista or Santa Barbara County. The ones below are statewide in California: they work in Isla Vista the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in California

  • MyHome Assistance Program

    Statewide in California

    CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers in California. Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • California Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan

    Statewide in California

    Closed, per the source

    CalHFA down payment loan for first-generation buyers in California; when you sell, you repay the loan plus a share of the home's appreciation. Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).

    Shared appreciation

    See the program Official page

  • MyAccess Program

    Statewide in California

    CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers who use the CalPLUS Access mortgage (FHA or conventional). Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Isla Vista

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Isla Vista, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • My Way Home

    2231 Sturgis Rd Unit A, Oxnard · 43 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 9 more
    (805) 273-7800

  • Centro Familia Esperanza

    1720 E Los Angeles Ave Ste 216, Simi Valley · 63 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (805) 813-8751

  • Money Management International, Los Angeles

    6080 Center Dr Fl 6, Los Angeles · 89 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (866) 232-9080

All counseling agencies in California

Help in Spanish near Isla Vista

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Isla Vista

HUD’s record names them for Isla Vista or Santa Barbara County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (805) 736-3423

One other authority has an office in Santa Barbara County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Santa Barbara County

These cities are also in Santa Barbara County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Santa Barbara County Housing in California
See 1 more city in Santa Barbara County, with its price and rent

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Isla Vista, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Santa Barbara County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Isla Vista.

All guides
A couple spread mulch under the avocado trees of their family orchard, he on the tractor and she with a shovel.

Questions

Housing questions about Isla Vista

Short answers with the numbers for Isla Vista and all of Santa Barbara County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does it cost to rent in Isla Vista?

Typical rent in Isla Vista is $1,878 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Santa Barbara County is $3,106.

What is the FHA loan limit in Isla Vista?

Isla Vista uses the FHA limit for all of Santa Barbara County (2026): $941,850 for a one-unit home and $1,811,300 for a four-unit home.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Isla Vista?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Santa Barbara County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).