Signals
University of California-Santa Barbara
Goleta
Opportunity
58 · Top 46%
vs75 · Top 15%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 13%
vs20 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
50 · Bottom 10%
vs43 · Bottom 6%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs75 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 8%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | University of California-Santa Barbara | Goleta | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,121 | 32,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,327 | $122,370 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $17,245 | $56,285 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,324/sq mi | 4,163/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $452,900 | $1,062,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,526 | $2,437 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 14.7% | 50.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 80.6% | 49.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.5% | 9.3% | 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" | 17.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 47 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.8 min | 19.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 20.0 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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
University of California-Santa Barbara
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
Goleta
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, drought, earthquake.
Your best match
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University of California-Santa Barbara
54
Your Score
—
Area Score
Goleta
63
Your Score
60
Area Score
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Full profiles: University of California-Santa Barbara, CA · Goleta, CA · How this is calculated: methodology