Goleta receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Santa Maria
Goleta
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 30%
vs75 · Top 15%
Growth
51 · Top 49%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 13%
vs20 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
49 · Bottom 10%
vs43 · Bottom 6%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs75 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 42%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Santa Maria | Goleta | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 110,462 | 32,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,746 | $122,370 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,440 | $56,285 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,843/sq mi | 4,163/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $531,700 | $1,062,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,925 | $2,437 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.2% | 50.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 49.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% | 9.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 387 | 272 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 8.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -21.7% | 1600.0% | 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 | 13.3" | 17.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 47 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 19.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.3 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.79 | 20.82 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 87.2% | 41.9% | 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
Santa Maria
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
Goleta
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Santa Maria
58
Your Score
52
Area Score
Goleta
63
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Santa Maria, CA · Goleta, CA · How this is calculated: methodology