Are you interested in moving to Santa Barbara County, CA? Wondering which Santa Barbara cities and towns are the best fit for you and your family? Santa Barbara County has eight cities to choose from, and each one has its own unique charm, amenities, attractions, and style.
Santa Barbara also has many unincorporated communities, called census-designated places, or CDPs. These areas are often known locally, but they aren’t governed by a mayor or city council. They may be similar in size to a neighborhood or stretch miles. However, they are still important for census-gathering purposes.
We’ve compiled a list of cities in Santa Barbara County so you can easily compare them and find the perfect place to live in Santa Barbara County. You can find all the information here that you need to help narrow down your choice. Wondering what cities are in Santa Barbara County? Let’s dive in!
Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County is located in Southern California along the California Central Coast and the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA Metro Adxcrea. It is nestled between San Luis Obispo and Ventura. The area was originally populated by Native Americans. The Spanish first arrived in 1542, and Spanish explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno gave Santa Barbara Channel its name when he sailed along the California coast in 1602. Santa Barbara County was formed in 1850 when California became a state.
The county includes four of California’s Channel Islands – San Miguel Island, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island, and Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara County is diverse geographically, consisting of mountains, forests, coastal plains, coastlines, and terraced grasslands, although most of the population lives near the coast. This geographical diversity provides many different outdoor opportunities, including hiking, biking, a wealth of beach and water activities, and exploring mountain trails and forests.
Santa Barbara County, California has exceptional weather, agricultural land, wineries, and diverse offerings. Santa Barbara County is known for its stunning landscape, warm climate, tourism, education, green technology, excellent healthcare, and highly skilled workforce. The county consists of prime agricultural land, award-winning wineries, and an array of attractions, festivals, museums, art galleries, and tourism sites.
Santa Barbara county is diverse. The ethnic and racial makeup of Santa Barbara County is 47% Hispanic or Latino, 41% White (23% White alone, not Hispanic or Latino), 5% Asian, 4% two or more races, and 2% Black or African American. About 21.1% of Santa Barbara County’s population is foreign-born. There are eight incorporated cities in Santa Barbara County.
Santa Barbara Demographics
- Population: 443,837
- Median age: 34.7 years
- Median household income: $90,894
- Median price of housing: $744,700
- Area of county: 3,789 square miles
- Population density: 163 per square mile
- Educational attainment: 82% high school diploma or higher, 37.1% bachelor’s degree or higher
Cities in Santa Barbara County
Santa Maria, CA
Though there aren’t any major cities in Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria is the largest city in Santa Barbara County, It’s located in the northern part of the county along the Santa Maria River. The city is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and the San Rafael Mountains and Los Padres National Forest on the east.
Santa Maria was founded in 1874 and incorporated in 1905. Santa Maria is well known for its wine industry and distinctive, uniquely cooked barbecue. Notable people from Santa Maria include actress Kathy Bates and NFL Super Bowl champion coach John Madden. Santa Maria has beautiful parks, public pools, sports facilities, and many other outdoor and recreational activities.
Santa Maria is also known for its rich history in film culture. Notable alumni from Santa Maria’s Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts theatrical school include Robin Williams, Kathy Bates, Kelly McGillis, and Zac Efron.
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- Santa Maria population: 109,707
- Santa Maria area: 23.42 square miles
- Santa Maria median age: 29.3 years
- Santa Maria median household income: $81,237
- Santa Maria median house price: $620,000
- Santa Maria population density: 4,809.60 people per square mile
- Santa Maria city map
Santa Barbara, CA
With the number of cities in Santa Barbara County, we forget that it’s a city itself! Santa Barbara, situated on the longest stretch of south-facing coastline on the west coast of the continental US, is the county seat of Santa Barbara County. The city lies between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
Santa Barbara is a popular tourist and resort destination with a diverse economy that includes education, technology, health care, and agriculture. Santa Barbara is home to several institutions of higher learning, including the University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara City College, and Westmont College.
Santa Barbara features numerous performing art venues, historic sites, museums, annual festivals and events, and many beautiful parks. A long list of films have been set or partially set in Santa Barbara. Notable people who have lived in Santa Barbara include actor Rob Lowe, Singer Katy Perry, actress Sigourney Weaver, and host Oprah Winfrey.
Check out more about moving to Santa Barbara in our guide.
- Santa Barbara population: 88,665
- Santa Barbara area: 3,789 square miles
- Santa Barbara median age: 39.6 years
- Santa Barbara median household income: $98,346
- Santa Barbara median house price: $2,235,000
- Santa Barbara population density: 4,546.92 people per square mile
- Santa Barbara City Map
Lompoc, CA
Lompoc sits in the valley of the Santa Ynez River. The city’s unusual name was taken from the native Chumash Purisimeño language, which translates to 'in the cheeks'. Lompoc is considered a military town due to its proximity to Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Lompoc is known as "The City of Arts and Flowers" due to its agriculture and thriving performing arts and theater scene. Lompoc has an affordable cost of living compared to many other cities in California, and its surrounding mountains, beaches, and parks, make it a great place to live for outdoor enthusiasts. Lompoc is home to several hiking trails and parks.
- Lompoc population: 44,444
- Lompoc area: 11.70 square miles
- Lompoc median age: 34.3 years
- Lompoc median household income: $66,947
- Lompoc median house price: $575,000
- Lompoc population density: 3,700 people per square mile
- Lompoc city map
Goleta, CA
Goleta is Spanish for schooner and had the distinction of being the largest unincorporated populated area in the county until it was incorporated in 2002. Goleta is located on the Pacific Ocean, with a backdrop of the Santa Ynez Mountains, and is near the Santa Barbara campus of the University of California, making it home to many college students.
Goleta is well known for its citrus and avocado farms, beautiful beaches, safe neighborhoods, and many hiking trails. Goleta’s several parks, including the Coronado Butterfly preserve, the largest overwintering grove of the Monarch butterfly, provide lots of outdoor recreational opportunities. Notable people who have lived in Goleta include Carl Barks, a cartoonist best known for drawing Donald Duck and creating Scrooge McDuck.
If you’re moving to Goleta, be sure to check out our complete guide.
- Goleta population: 27,527
- Goleta area: 7.92 square miles
- Goleta median age: 35.0 years
- Goleta median household income: $113,889
- Goleta median house price: $1,285,000
- Goleta population density: 4,100 people per square mile
- Goleta city map
Carpinteria, CA
Carpinteria, known locally as Carp, is a small city located on the coastal plain between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It boasts a charming small-town atmosphere with a close-knit community and a welcoming vibe.
The city got its name, which means “carpentry”, from Spanish explorers who saw the local Chumash people sealing their canoes with asphalt by the shore. Carpinteria is a coastal, agricultural community with excellent soil for crops.
The annual California Avocado Festival draws a crowd of about 80,000 every year in October. Carpinteria’s pristine surroundings are an outdoor lover’s dream. The city is known for its surfing, hiking, and other outdoor opportunities. Carpinteria’s slogan is “World’s Safest Beach.”
Notable people who lived in Carpinteria include actor Kevin Costner, actress Mila Kunis, and film director Robert Zemeckis. There’s lots to love about living in Carpinteria, and we have everything you need to know in our guide.
- Carpentaria population: 13,264
- Carpentaria area: 9.27 square miles
- Carpentaria median age: 43.4 years
- Carpentaria median household income: $103,879
- Carpentaria median house price $1,000,000
- Carpentaria population density: 5,125.19 people per square mile
- Carpentaria village map
Guadalupe, CA
Guadalupe is located in the northwest corner of Santa Barbara County, just south of the Santa Maria River. The flat landscape is predominantly used for agriculture and oil production. This small town has a diverse culture and rich history.
Guadalupe is near Guadalupe Beach, where residents can enjoy the nice weather and soft sand. Several parks in the city offer youth sports programs and a variety of outdoor recreational activities. Guadalupe’s Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes have been used as the backdrop for a number of films dating all the way back to the 1920s, including Cecil B. DeMille's 1923 Ten Commandments, The Odd Couple II, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Hidalgo, Rudolph Valentino’s The Shiek, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, and G.I. Jane.
- Guadalupe population: 8,057
- Guadalupe area: 1.31 square miles
- Guadalupe median age: 28.4 years
- Guadalupe median household income: $66,026
- Guadalupe median house price: $585,000
- Guadalupe population density: 5,941.22 people per square mile
- Guadalupe City Map
Solvang, CA
Solvang is a Danish word meaning “sunny field”. The city is located in the Santa Ynez Valley and was incorporated in 1985. Solvang's convenient location makes it easy to explore other Central Coast destinations like Pismo Beach. Due to its strong Danish heritage, Solvang is known as the “The Danish Capital of America”. Examples of the Danish Provincial architecture, a half-timbered style, can be seen throughout the city.
Despite its small size, Solvang is a tourist destination, attracting over one million visitors per year to see the Danish windmills, the statues of Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid replica, the half-timbered houses, Danish museums and festivals, and enjoy Danish music and folk dancing. A number of local restaurants and pastry shops serve Danish specialties.
Biking is popular in Solvang, and the surrounding countryside and variable terrain have been used by professional cyclists for training. Solvang has been used as a location for several popular films, TV shows, and books.
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- Solvang population: 6,126
- Solvang area: 2.43 square miles
- Solvang median age: 50.6 years
- Solvang median household income: $108,074
- Solvang median house price: $1,475,000
- Solvang population density: 2,500 people per square mile
- Solvang city map
Buellton, CA
Buellton is a small city in the Santa Ynez Valley about 3 miles west of Solvang. It is part of the renowned wine country, with numerous vineyards and wineries. Its nickname, “Home of Split Pea Soup”, comes from the once-popular Pea Soup Andersen’s Restaurant, which was closed in 2024.
Buellton was founded in 1867 and incorporated in 1992. With a library, a park, a golf course, a fire station, one shopping plaza, and a handful of hotels and restaurants, Buellton gives off a lot of small-town vibes. But you’ll also find world-class wineries, a botanic garden, and an ostrich farm in the city.
Buellton is surrounded by miles of open spaces in the Santa Ynez Valley, offering lots of opportunities to get out and enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, and biking. Our Buellton movers are happy to help you if you choose this town to relocate to!
- Buellton population: 5,106
- Buellton area: 1.58 square miles
- Buellton median age: 37.9 years
- Buellton median household income: $100,767
- Buellton median house price: $1,122,500
- Buellton population density: 3,266.46 people per square mile
- Buellton city map
Map of Santa Barbara County Cities
Santa Barbara County FAQ’s
Q: What’s the Most Affordable City in Santa Barbara County?
A: Guadalupe is the most affordable city, with a cost of living 9% lower than the state average.
Q: How Many Cities in Santa Barbara County California Are There?
A: There are 8 incorporated cities in Santa Barbara County.
Q: What’s the Most Expensive City in Santa Barbara County?
A: Santa Barbara is the most expensive city in the county. The cost of living is 59% higher than the California average.
There are so many cities in Santa Barbara County to love, and no matter which one you choose, you're bound to enjoy it. If you're ready to say hello to beautiful weather and fun attractions by moving to Santa Barbara or one of the other major cities nearby in the rolling hills, you'll need a top-rated Santa Barbara moving company to help you get there.
We service all of these Santa Barbara cities and towns! Movegreen can help you. Contact our team today at 866-684-7336 to get a free quote!
