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Goleta, CA

City in Santa Barbara County, California.

Population

32,685

Land area

7.9sq mi

People per sq mi

4,162

ZIP codes

0

Goleta and its ZIP codes

Full map

Goleta at a glance

  • Goleta is about 17 times as dense as California as a whole.
  • It is the 252nd most populous of 1,570 cities and towns in California.
  • Households here earn a median of $122,370 a year, 23% more than the California figure of $99,122.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $1,062,100 (45% above California) and median rent is $2,437 a month.

Local data for Goleta, CA

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Goleta, CA, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$122,370

Poverty rate

9.3%

Median home value

$1,062,100

Median rent

$2,437/mo

Homeownership

50.7%

Bachelor's or higher

49.4%

Median age

36.9

Average commute

17.8 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: Mexican Americans (10,561), German Americans (3,583), Irish Americans (2,846).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Santa Barbara County. PPP loans are for Goleta.

Details

Unemployment rate

4.6%

Aug 2026, -0.2 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$73,064

214,947 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$88,347

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$3.22B

FY 2026, $7,173 per person

Santa Barbara County economyFederal spending

How people get to work

Goleta, CA, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone61.4%
  • Carpooled11.4%
  • Public transit2.8%
  • Walked2.5%
  • Bicycle2.5%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other1.0%
  • Worked from home18.4%

Average one-way commute: 17.8 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Goleta, CA, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively High

Top: landslide

Storm events since 1996

208

Countywide, mostly flash flood

Flood insurance policies

2,383

1.9% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

71° / 43°F

19.0 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone3 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Goleta, CA, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

24.1%

U.S. 33.3% -9.2 pts

Diabetes

9.6%

U.S. 12.1% -2.5 pts

Smoking

9.2%

U.S. 12.8% -3.6 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

8.6%

U.S. 11.1% -2.5 pts

Cities near Goleta

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
Isla VistaCensus-designated place1.8 mi0.6
University of California-Santa BarbaraCensus-designated place2.1 mi1.3
Eastern Goleta ValleyCensus-designated place5.2 mi16.6
Mission CanyonCensus-designated place9.3 mi1.8
Santa BarbaraCity10 mi19.5
MontecitoCensus-designated place14 mi9.2
SummerlandCensus-designated place16 mi1.4
Santa YnezCensus-designated place18 mi4.8
Toro CanyonCensus-designated place18 mi9.4
SolvangCity19 mi2.4
BallardCensus-designated place19 mi2.8
CarpinteriaCity20 mi2.6
Los OlivosCensus-designated place21 mi2.6
BuelltonCity22 mi1.6

Frequently asked questions

What county is Goleta, CA in?
Goleta is in Santa Barbara County, California.
What is the population of Goleta, CA?
About 32,685 people live in Goleta, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Goleta?
Nearby places include Isla Vista (1.8 mi), University of California-Santa Barbara (2.1 mi), Eastern Goleta Valley (5.2 mi), Mission Canyon (9.3 mi), Santa Barbara (10 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023