Demographics

The city's population has hovered around 100,000 people over the last decade. There are nearly 400,000 in the county. With a density of 142 people per square mile.

City ethnicity is primarily European (60%), African (30%) and Asian (2%). The most common ethnic heritage is German, followed by English and Irish (roughly 10% each).

Over 40% have a college degree and 15% have post graduate education.

About 50% of residents are married, 11% have been divorced, and 5% are widowed.

More than 30% have children under the age of 18 living at home.

In the city 14% of residents are over 65 and 20% more are between 45 and 65 years old.

Major industries in the area have been defense related (declining) or health care related (increasing).

Roughly 5% of males and 15% of females work in health care.

Median family income in Santa Barbara is around $45,000.

Average 3-bedroom homes cost more than $1,000,000. And rent for a 2-bedroom 2-bath apartment is roughly $2100 a month.

In 1996 it cost $160,000 to build an average sized single family home in the area, in 2005 it cost nearly $300,000. However, most homes cost between $300k and $750k.

In the last few years the city has been losing population to its northern neighbor Santa Maria where housing costs are roughly half.

The common stereotype about Santa Barbara is a local motto that the city is filled with "the newly wed and the nearly dead".