The Town FilesCarpinteria, California
City in Santa Barbara County · population 13,264 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,043,100
- Household income
- $100,658
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 44.8
Carpinteria is a city of 13,264 people in Santa Barbara County, California. The median home is worth $1,043,100, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more seaside character than 94% of California towns, hipper than 86% of California towns, better for cycling than 86% of California towns.
How Carpinteria ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Carpinteria is worth $1,043,100, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 10.4 times the median household income of $100,658, which is more affordable than 7% of California towns. Median rent is $2,377 a month. 61.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carpinteria | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,043,100 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,377 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $100,658 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 10.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 61.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.8% | — |
Who lives in Carpinteria
| People | Carpinteria | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 21.9% | — |
| Work from home | 16.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in Carpinteria
July highs average 76.4°F and January lows 46.5°F. About 19.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Carpinteria since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on March 21, 2023 about 3.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 21, 2023.
Severe weather in Santa Barbara County since 1996
Santa Barbara County has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County had 216,323 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,664 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Carpinteria itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Carpinteria
5 public schools with 1,866 students, about 17.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpinteria Senior High | 9-12 | 609 | 17.9 |
| Canalino Elementary | K-5 | 483 | 20.1 |
| Carpinteria Middle | 6-8 | 402 | 14.9 |
| Aliso Elementary | K-5 | 316 | 17.6 |
| Carpinteria Family | K-5 | 56 | 18.7 |
Towns near Carpinteria
- Montecito, CA7.9 mi · 8,638 people · home $2,000,001
- Oak View, CA11.6 mi · 6,215 people · home $819,100
- Santa Barbara, CA12.2 mi · 88,665 people · home $1,570,800
- Mira Monte, CA12.6 mi · 6,618 people · home $812,200
- Mission Canyon, CA13.3 mi · 2,540 people · home $2,000,001
- Meiners Oaks, CA14.0 mi · 3,911 people · home $721,200
- Ojai, CA15.1 mi · 7,637 people · home $1,016,200
- San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA16.2 mi · 110,763 people · home $827,300
Carpinteria questions
Is Carpinteria, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carpinteria scores better for retirees than 62% of California towns and quieter than 32%. 24.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.8).
How much does a house cost in Carpinteria?
The median owner-occupied home in Carpinteria is valued at $1,043,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $100,658, so homes cost about 10.4 times income. Median rent is $2,377 a month.
What is the weather like in Carpinteria?
July highs average 76.4°F and January lows 46.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Carpinteria get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Carpinteria since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on March 21, 2023. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)