Goleta, California
Among the top 2% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 5% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 98% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 50% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 88% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 78% of US places
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 6% for annual snowfall
- bottom 1% for cost of living
Goleta is a mid-size city in California with about 33,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, annual snowfall, and commute time. It rates lower on income tax and cost of living.
Official websitecityofgoleta.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Dry
cool
comfortable
cool
83%69%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.5 in0.0 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$114k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$87kbetter than 1% of US places
Home Value$911k98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 4% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$4kbetter than 3% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.62%better than 79% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden21.17%better than 4% of US places
Unemployment4.0%better than 48% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)53°F93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)65°F4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation17.3 in10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days276 daysbetter than 88% of US places
Summer Humidity58°Fbetter than 78% of US places
Comfortable Days240 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk84.1better than 19% of US places
Air Quality36 AQIbetter than 84% of US places
School Quality73.5better than 70% of US places
Violent Crime683/100kbetter than 53% of US places
Property Crime1625/100kbetter than 27% of US places
Community
Population32,64096th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.022nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6295th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0768th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+338th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)46.3%16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.3%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)36.4%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)10.5%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.5%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time18 minbetter than 92% of US places
Walkability9.8/20better than 85% of US places
Airport Distance90 mibetter than 43% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.2%better than 73% of US places
Amenities Nearby71.08better than 47% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 75% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Goleta an affordable place to live?
- Goleta is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $87k, better than 1% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Goleta?
- The median home value in Goleta is $911k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Goleta?
- Median household income in Goleta is $114k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Goleta?
- Median gross rent in Goleta is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Goleta safe?
- Goleta is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 683/100k (better than 53%). Property crime is 1625/100k.
- What is the weather like in Goleta?
- Goleta averages 65°F in July and 53°F in January, with 17.3 in of annual precipitation and about 276 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Goleta?
- Public-school quality in Goleta is above average, scoring better than 70% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Goleta?
- The average one-way commute in Goleta is 18 min.
Other places in Santa Barbara County
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)