Signals
Eastern Goleta Valley
Santa Maria
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 13%
vs20 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
41 · Bottom 5%
vs49 · Bottom 10%
Access
73 · Bottom 15%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 40%
vs56 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | Eastern Goleta Valley | Santa Maria | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,295 | 110,462 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $146,284 | $84,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $72,713 | $27,440 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,706/sq mi | 4,843/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,361,700 | $531,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,964 | $1,925 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.6% | 50.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.1% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 17.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 73°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 17.3" | 13.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 50 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.5 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.7 | 29.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.33 | 21.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.1% | 87.2% | 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
Eastern Goleta Valley
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
Santa Maria
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
Your best match
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Eastern Goleta Valley
55
Your Score
—
Area Score
Santa Maria
58
Your Score
52
Area Score
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Full profiles: Eastern Goleta Valley, CA · Santa Maria, CA · How this is calculated: methodology