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City · 87,779 residents · Santa Barbara County, California

Santa Barbara , California

In Santa Barbara, a typical home is worth $1,570,800 and typical rent is $2,413 a month. Compared with all of Santa Barbara County, the typical home value is 99% higher, typical rent is 13% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 13 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $1,570,800

    99% above the county

    114% above California

    • Santa Barbara
    • County
    • California

  • Typical rent

    $2,413a month

    13% above the county

    19% above California

    • Santa Barbara
    • County
    • California

  • Typical household income

    $106,182a year

    8% above the county

    7% above California

    • Santa Barbara
    • County
    • California

  • Households that own their home

    40%

    13 points below the county

    16 points below California

    • Santa Barbara
    • County
    • California

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$1,805,649
4.9% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$3,642 a month
3.8% more than 12 months ago

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

Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara apart

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

  1. The typical home in Santa Barbara is worth $1,570,800, 99% more than in Santa Barbara County as a whole ($790,700).

  2. Nearby, in University of California-Santa Barbara, the typical home value is $452,900: 71% less than in Santa Barbara ($1,570,800).

  3. Nearby, in University of California-Santa Barbara, the typical rent is $1,526: 37% less than in Santa Barbara ($2,413).

  4. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Santa Barbara rose 4.9%; in California, it rose 0.6%.

  5. 40% of households in Santa Barbara own their home, against 52% in Santa Barbara County.

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

The homes here

Housing in Santa Barbara

What homes there are in Santa Barbara, 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

No kind of home is the majority in Santa Barbara; the largest group, detached houses, adds up to 46%, less than in Santa Barbara County (56%).

Year built

The typical home in Santa Barbara was built in 1965, 9 years before the typical one in Santa Barbara County.

In Santa Barbara, 29% of homes have 1 bedroom or none (studios); 38% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 55% in Santa Barbara County.

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 HUD fair market rent of $3,106 for 2 bedrooms, at least 70% of rented homes in Santa Barbara sit below it.

With a mortgage

$3,841 a month

Santa Barbara County: $2,973 a month

Without a mortgage

$1,068 a month

Santa Barbara County: $831 a month

Owners with a mortgage

63%

Santa Barbara County: 63%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Santa Barbara is $3,841 a month, more than in Santa Barbara County ($2,973); without one, $1,068.

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 typical home value in Santa Barbara rose 49% since 2015–2019, more than in Santa Barbara County (37%).

The typical rent in Santa Barbara rose 35% over the same time; in Santa Barbara County, it rose 30%.

To compare: typical income in Santa Barbara rose 39%; the home, +49%; the rent, +35%.

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

MeasureSanta BarbaraSanta Barbara CountyCaliforniaUnited States
Rental vacancy 2.9%3.3%4.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.6%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room 7.5%9.7%8.2%3.4%
People per household 2.362.812.842.53
Drive alone 61%65%66%69%
Carpool 9%12%10%9%
Public transit 2%2%3%3%
Walk or bike 7%6%3%3%
Work from home 19%13%17%15%
Other means 3%2%2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Santa Barbara County, the rental vacancy rate in Santa Barbara is 2.9%.

More than one person per room: that is how 7.5% of households in Santa Barbara live, less than in Santa Barbara County (9.7%).

Households in Santa Barbara are smaller: 2.36 people on average; in Santa Barbara County, 2.81.

In Santa Barbara, 19% of workers work from home, more than in Santa Barbara County (13%).

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 Santa Barbara?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Santa Barbara, worth $1,570,800, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 143% of the typical household income in Santa Barbara, which is $106,182 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $543,369 a year. Note: at that price the loan is above the FHA limit for Santa Barbara County ($941,850), so FHA would not insure it; the payment is only a reference.

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 Santa Barbara. 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 $54,978 (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

$12,679

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$1,542,349
Total interest
$2,219,078
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $26,527 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,478 a month

  • Tight

    $2,478 to $3,185 a month

  • Hard

    more than $3,185 a month

    Your payment · 143%

Compared with the typical household income in Santa Barbara ($106,182 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$12,679
Principal & interest$10,448
Property tax$628
Home insurance$655
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$947

This loan is over the FHA limit

You'd borrow $1,515,822, but the FHA limit for a one-unit home in Santa Barbara is $941,850. You'd need a bigger down payment or a different loan.

You need at least $54,978 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

Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara County

Santa Barbara 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).

Santa Barbara's own numbers

Typical home value
$1,570,800
Typical monthly rent
$2,413
Typical yearly household income
$106,182
Households that own their home
40%
Effective property tax rate
0.48%

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 Santa Barbara

A typical home in Santa Barbara is worth $1,570,800: 99% above the county and 114% above California. With the typical household income in Santa Barbara ($106,182 a year), a typical home costs 14.8 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Santa Barbara 14.8 years
  • County 8.1 years
  • California 7.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

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

Santa Barbara 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 home value
  • Santa Barbara $1,570,800
  • County $790,700
  • California $734,700
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Santa Barbara $2,413
  • County $2,131
  • California $2,036
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Santa Barbara $106,182
  • County $98,161
  • California $99,122
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Santa Barbara next to Santa Barbara County and California
Measure Santa Barbara Santa Barbara County California U.S.
Typical home value $1,570,800 $790,700 $734,700 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,413 $2,131 $2,036 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $106,182 $98,161 $99,122 $80,734
Households that own their home 40% 52% 56% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $7,498 $5,103 $5,124 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.48% 0.65% 0.7% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 56% 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 Santa Barbara

For a typical $1,570,800 home in Santa Barbara, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Santa Barbara's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $12,679a month

    Above the FHA limit for Santa Barbara County ($941,850)
    Down payment
    $54,978
    Cash to close
    $102,102
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $947

  • Conventional, 5% down $12,138a month

    Above the conventional limit for Santa Barbara County ($941,850): it would be a "jumbo" loan
    Down payment
    $78,540
    Cash to close
    $125,664
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $746

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $9,796a month

    Above the conventional limit for Santa Barbara County ($941,850): it would be a "jumbo" loan
    Down payment
    $314,160
    Cash to close
    $361,284
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $11,248a month

    Down payment
    $235,620
    Cash to close
    $282,744
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None
  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

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 Santa Barbara and for Santa Barbara County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Santa Barbara

0.48%of the home’s value each year

$7,498 a year for the typical owner in Santa Barbara.

  • Santa Barbara 0.48%
  • County 0.65%
  • California 0.7%

What California publishes Homeowners' exemption (California State Board of Equalization (BOE))

Exemptions and deadlines in California

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 Santa Barbara

Typical rent in Santa Barbara is $2,413 a month: 13% above the county. In Santa Barbara, 56% 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 Santa Barbara

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Santa Barbara has 4 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $3,620 in 93103 to $4,360 in 93109.

4 of the 4 are above the fair market rent for Santa Barbara County ($3,106).

  • 93101 $3,850$4,950
  • 93103 $3,620$4,650
  • 93105 $3,630$4,660
  • 93109 $4,360$5,600

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara

HUD lists 27 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Santa Barbara. These are the largest.

  • Positano Apartments 11 Camino De Vida, Santa Barbara 93111 118 homes, 116 low-income · 1 bd: 30 · 2 bd: 42 · 3 bd: 46 · In service since 2017 · For older adults
  • Villa Santa Fe Apts I 418 Santa Fe Pl, Santa Barbara 93109 107 homes, 102 low-income · 1 bd: 106 · 2 bd: 1 · In service since 2014 · For older adults
  • De la Vina Frail Seniors 1116 De La Vina St, Santa Barbara 93101 98 homes, 97 low-income · In service since 1999
  • Villa Caridad Senior Homes 4202 Calle Real, Santa Barbara 93110 95 homes, 94 low-income · For older adults (805) 683-4375
  • The Gardens on Hope 251 S Hope Ave, Santa Barbara 93105 90 homes, 89 low-income · Studio: 89 · 1 bd: 1 · In service since 2020 · For people with disabilities, families

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

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Santa Barbara

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.

A man leans over the armchair to help a teenage girl with her book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Santa Barbara

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Santa Barbara or Santa Barbara County. The ones below are statewide in California: they work in Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Santa Barbara, 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 · 35 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 · 55 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 · 81 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 Santa Barbara

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 Santa Barbara

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

  • Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara Section 8 vouchers (805) 965-1071
  • Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (805) 736-3423

All housing agencies in California 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 Santa Barbara, 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 Santa Barbara.

All guides
A mother smiles as she carries her young daughter on her shoulders (black and white).

Questions

Housing questions about Santa Barbara

Short answers with the numbers for Santa Barbara 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 a typical home cost in Santa Barbara?

The typical home value in Santa Barbara is $1,570,800, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Santa Barbara County it is $790,700.

How much does it cost to rent in Santa Barbara?

Typical rent in Santa Barbara is $2,413 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 Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara 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.

How much property tax do owners pay in Santa Barbara?

The typical homeowner in Santa Barbara pays $7,498 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.48% of the home’s value; in Santa Barbara County, the rate is 0.65%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Santa Barbara?

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).