The Town FilesEastern Goleta Valley, California
Community in Santa Barbara County · population 28,656 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,361,700
- Household income
- $146,284
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 73°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 45.7
Eastern Goleta Valley is a community of 28,656 people in Santa Barbara County, California. The median home is worth $1,361,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for cycling than 91% of California towns, more seaside character than 89% of California towns, better for young professionals than 88% of California towns.
How Eastern Goleta Valley 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 Eastern Goleta Valley is worth $1,361,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 9.3 times the median household income of $146,284, which is more affordable than 13% of California towns. Median rent is $2,964 a month. 74.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Eastern Goleta Valley | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,361,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,964 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $146,284 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 74.6% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Eastern Goleta Valley
| People | Eastern Goleta Valley | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.1% | — |
| Work from home | 24.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 15.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.9% | 93.3% |
Weather in Eastern Goleta Valley
July highs average 73.3°F and January lows 41.3°F. About 17.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 5 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Eastern Goleta Valley since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on January 19, 2010 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 19, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on January 20, 1982.
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 Eastern Goleta Valley itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Towns near Eastern Goleta Valley
- University of California-Santa Barbara, CA3.9 mi · 9,710 people · home $452,900
- Mission Canyon, CA4.0 mi · 2,540 people · home $2,000,001
- Goleta, CA4.2 mi · 32,690 people · home $1,062,100
- Isla Vista, CA4.8 mi · 15,500 people · home $1,218,800
- Santa Barbara, CA4.9 mi · 88,665 people · home $1,570,800
- Montecito, CA8.9 mi · 8,638 people · home $2,000,001
- Carpinteria, CA16.7 mi · 13,264 people · home $1,043,100
- Santa Ynez, CA21.4 mi · 4,505 people · home $1,163,000
Eastern Goleta Valley questions
Is Eastern Goleta Valley, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Eastern Goleta Valley scores better for retirees than 75% of California towns and quieter than 37%. 24.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.7).
How much does a house cost in Eastern Goleta Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Eastern Goleta Valley is valued at $1,361,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $146,284, so homes cost about 9.3 times income. Median rent is $2,964 a month.
What is the weather like in Eastern Goleta Valley?
July highs average 73.3°F and January lows 41.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Eastern Goleta Valley get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Eastern Goleta Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on January 19, 2010. 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)