93109 and 93103 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
93109
93103
Opportunity
75 · Top 13%
vs74 · Top 15%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs35 · Bottom 24%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 13%
vs19 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
33 · Bottom 3%
vs38 · Bottom 5%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 23%
vs56 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | 93109 | 93103 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,915 | 19,382 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,347 | $122,159 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $77,272 | $60,754 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,189/sq mi | 3,528/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,882,500 | $1,663,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,823 | $2,587 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.5% | 43.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.7% | 47.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.2% | 12.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 62 | 62 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 87.9% | 87.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 17.3" | 17.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 54 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.2 min | 18.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.4 | 41.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.95 | 18.29 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.0% | 70.4% | 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
93109
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
93103
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
Full profiles: 93109 — Santa Barbara, CA · 93103 — Santa Barbara, CA · How this is calculated: methodology