93103 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
93103
92010
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs66 · Top 28%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs39 · Bottom 32%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 13%
vs8 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
38 · Bottom 5%
vs36 · Bottom 4%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs65 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 44%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | 93103 | 92010 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,382 | 18,489 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $122,159 | $129,926 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,754 | $60,121 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,528/sq mi | 2,242/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,663,600 | $1,103,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,587 | $2,988 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.1% | 64.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.4% | 58.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 9.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 62 | 340 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 87.9% | -39.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 74°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 48°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 17.3" | 11.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 55 mi | 64 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.1 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 40.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.29 | 24.05 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.4% | 28.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
93103
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
92010
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: 93103 — Santa Barbara, CA · 92010 — Carlsbad, CA · How this is calculated: methodology