Goleta, CA

This city of 32,466 residents needs 1,146 more housing units over the next five years. Goleta is a CDBG-entitlement community, see how the ROAD to Housing Act could change that funding. Goleta is part of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments.

Housing snapshot

Population
32,466 (2026)
Households
12,379
Median household income
$136,184 (2026)
Typical home value
$1,360,168
Owner-occupied
48%
Five-year housing need
1,146 units

Comparison to other California municipalities

Goleta: $136,184 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$27K >$231K
Goleta: 1.87 jobs to household ratio
<0.15 >2.52
Goleta: Permits since 2021 represent 2.2% of housing
<0% >10.5%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

The typical home in Goleta, CA is valued at $1,360,168, well above the California average of $713,253. With a median household income of $136,184 in Goleta, CA, the typical home is far out of reach for most households, requiring roughly $177,955 more in annual income to afford.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

Goleta, CA has a population of roughly 32,685 that has been largely stable in recent years.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

Goleta, CA has roughly 12,379 households and a population that has been largely stable in recent years.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

The housing stock in Goleta, CA is relatively mixed, with detached single-family as the most common type at 44%. Goleta, CA is roughly split between owners and renters, at 48% owner-occupied.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, Goleta, CA needs 1,146 new units over the next 5 years.

1,146
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
55
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 0.9 per 1,000 units.
290
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 3.2%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
739
Overcrowding adjustment
Overcrowding rate is 9.4%. This is above National avg. of 3.4%.
62
Substandard housing adjustment
Substandard housing rate is 1.48%. This is above National avg. of 0.98%.
1,146
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
229
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
8.9%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
1.8%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

Build Now Act: how could CDBG funding change?

The Build Now Act (Section 213 of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act) ties a CDBG entitlement community's grant to how much housing it is building. This is a CommunityScale estimate from public ACS data, not HUD's official determination — HUD calculates from Census Master Address File block counts.

How does this place compare to similar communities?