Santa Barbara County
For Americans thinking of retiring to Santa Barbara County, California, from another state or instead of a move abroad. Santa Barbara County has 442,065 residents, 83,798 of them aged 65 or older (19.0 %) (US Census Bureau, county population estimates by age, 1 July 2025). Largest places: Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Lompoc (Census, 1 July 2024).
Where Santa Barbara County stands, on the six criteria
Santa Barbara County's own figures, each against every US county that has the same figure. Cost of living is its area's: the Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes no price level for a single county.
| Criterion | Santa Barbara County |
|---|---|
| Cost of living BEA price level, all items (US = 100); lower is better |
108.8 Cheaper than 2% of the other 3,142 US counties
BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, all items, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metropolitan area · figure for 2024 · checked 2026-10-28
|
| Taxes on a retired couple state and local tax on the example retired couple, USD a year; lower is better |
USD $2,259 (90% margin USD $2,176–$2,342) Lower than 75% of the other 3,110 US counties
The state's published 2025 income-tax rules, the county's own local income tax where one is levied, and the county's Census ACS property-tax ratio, applied to the example household · figure for 2025
|
| Healthcare access share of residents 65+ living in a county with a 4- or 5-star CMS hospital; higher is better |
2 hospitals in the county rated 4 or 5 stars by CMS A fact for this county, not a ranking: a county without such a hospital may sit near one next door.
CMS, Hospital General Information (Care Compare), hospital overall star rating, release of 13 Aug 2026 · figure for 2026 · checked 2026-10-27
|
| Safety homicides per 100,000 a year, 2020–2024, by state of residence; lower is better |
3.5 per 100,000 a year (95% interval 2.7–4.3) Lower than 85% of the other 767 US counties
CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death 2018-2024 (Single Race, final), by county of residence · figure for 2024 · checked 2026-09-24
|
| Climate months a year whose mean daily high is 18–29 °C (64–84 °F), 1981–2010; more is better |
7.0 months a year More than 95% of the other 3,143 US counties
CHELSA V2.1 monthly maximum temperature, 1981-2010 (~1 km), averaged over the county, Karger et al. · figure for 2010 · checked 2026-10-27
|
| Natural-hazard risk expected yearly loss to buildings from natural hazards, per USD $1,000 of buildings; lower is better |
USD $3.78 per USD $1,000 of buildings Lower than 3% of the other 3,143 US counties
FEMA, National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county expected annual loss to buildings (EAL_VALB) · figure for 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
|
Taxes on a retired couple in Santa Barbara County, California
The published example couple's state and local tax in Santa Barbara County for tax year 2025, in its three parts. Only the income tax is the same across California; the property tax uses Santa Barbara County's own Census figures.
| State income tax California's 2025 rules — the same in every California county |
USD $0 |
|---|---|
| Local income tax none in this calculation: a county income tax is held only for Maryland and Indiana |
USD $0 |
| Property tax on a USD $350,000 home Santa Barbara County's own median taxes paid ÷ median home value |
USD $2,259 |
| State and local tax, a year | USD $2,259 |
Sources: California Franchise Tax Board, 2025 Form 540 Personal Income Tax Booklet (Schedule Y); US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25103, county.
How California taxes each kind of retirement income, line by line
What Medicare costs in Santa Barbara County, California
For the published example couple, both 67 and married: what Medicare premiums cost a year for two in Santa Barbara County, California, and the most a bad year can cost. What care itself costs depends on a person's health, so it is not estimated here.
Medicare Advantage, with drug coverage
USD $6,586 a year for two in premiums (from USD $4,870)
At most USD $17,236 in a bad year (from USD $5,460), with each person's in-network out-of-pocket maximum
The middle of the 4 plans offered here; "from" is the lowest premium among them.
Original Medicare, with a drug plan
USD $8,483 a year for two in premiums (from USD $4,997)
Medigap: no federal price list — not in this total.
No yearly maximum on Original Medicare alone.
Part B for two, plus the middle of the 10 standalone drug plans offered in the state.
The 2027 Part B premium is not yet published (CMS usually publishes it in November); 2026's is used.
Source: CMS, Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, plan year 2027; CMS, 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles (fact sheet, 14 Nov 2025).
Medicare in California: its Medigap rule and free counseling
Retiring to Santa Barbara County, California: pros and cons, by the figures
Retiring to Santa Barbara County, judged on the figures above: a pro is a figure in the top fifth of US counties, a con one in the bottom fifth. Figures in between get no verdict.
Pros
- Safety: lower than 85% of the other 767 US counties (3.5 per 100,000 a year). CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death 2018-2024 (Single Race, final), by county of residence
- Climate: more than 95% of the other 3,143 US counties (7.0 months a year). CHELSA V2.1 monthly maximum temperature, 1981-2010 (~1 km), averaged over the county, Karger et al.
Cons
- Cost of living: dearer than 98% of the other 3,142 US counties (108.8). BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, all items, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metropolitan area
- Natural-hazard risk: higher than 97% of the other 3,143 US counties (USD $3.78 per USD $1,000 of buildings). FEMA, National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county expected annual loss to buildings (EAL_VALB)
The largest places in Santa Barbara County
By population in the county; a place split across counties counts only the part in Santa Barbara County. We do not cover these places in depth yet.
- Santa Maria: 111,346 residents
- Santa Barbara: 87,291 residents
- Lompoc: 43,594 residents
US Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 sub-county population estimates (SUB-EST2024), 1 July 2024.
Would your money go further in Santa Barbara County?
We rank every place we hold against your budget and the life you want — starting from the sourced figures on this page and adding clearly labeled estimates for the costs no official source prices.
Free Create an account to save your comparisons and pick them up later. No credit card, no email needed, and you keep the whole site.
Create a free account No credit card. No email needed.
One personalized report, up to six places — saved in your account and yours to download as a PDF.
Unlimited reports, up to six places each, and it carries into the resident plan when you move.
On sale when billing opens — the prices are set.
Reports open when the site launches.
The report starts from the same sourced figures you see here, then adds clearly labeled estimates for the costs no official source prices for each town.