View source for Santa Barbara, California

{{Short description|City in California, United States}}
{{About||the island|Santa Barbara Island|the wine region|Santa Barbara County wine}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the table at Template:Infobox settlement for all fields and descriptions of their usage.-->| name               = Santa Barbara, California
| settlement_type    = [[List of municipalities in California|City]]
| image_skyline      = {{Photomontage
   | photo1a                  = Mission Santa Barbara - Flickr - brewbooks (cropped).jpg
   | photo2a                  = Santa Barbara Downtown (may 2012) (2) (cropped).jpg
   | photo2b                  = Aerial-SantaBarbaraCA10-28-08 (cropped).jpg
   | photo3a                  = SB Presidio.jpg
   | photo3b                  = SB courthouse.jpg
   | photo4a                  = Santa-barbara-courthouse-tower-view1 (cropped).jpg
   | spacing                  = 2
   | position                 = center
   | color_border             = white
   | color                    = white
   | size                     = 260
   | foot_montage             = Clockwise: [[Mission Santa Barbara]]; California Riviera; [[Santa Barbara County Courthouse]]; View of Downtown; [[Presidio of Santa Barbara]]; Downtown Santa Barbara
 }}
| image_flag         = Flag of Santa Barbara, California.svg
| image_seal         = Seal_of_the_City_of_Santa_Barbara,_California.svg
| nickname           = The American Riviera
| motto              = 
| image_map          = Santa Barbara County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Santa Barbara Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250x200px
| map_caption        = Location in [[Santa Barbara County, California|Santa Barbara County]] and the state of [[California]]
| pushpin_map        = USA
| pushpin_label      = Santa Barbara
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the [[United States]]
| pushpin_relief     = 1
<!-- Location ------------------>| coordinates        = {{coord|34|25|N|119|42|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[California]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in California|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Santa Barbara County, California|Santa Barbara]]
<!-- History -------------->| established_title  = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date   = April 9, 1850<ref>{{cite web
   | url         = http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
   | title       = California Cities by Incorporation Date
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| named_for          = [[Saint Barbara]]
<!-- Government ----------->| government_type    = [[Council–manager government|Council–manager]]<ref name=govt>{{cite web |url=http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=16412 |title=The City of Santa Barbara Employee Handbook |publisher=City of Santa Barbara |access-date=March 24, 2015}}</ref>
| leader_title       = [[List of mayors of Santa Barbara, California|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Randy Rowse<ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Barbara – Mayor Randy Rowse|url=https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/cityhall/council/meet/rrowse.asp|access-date=January 24, 2022|website=www.santabarbaraca.gov}}</ref>
| leader_title1      = [[California's 21st State Senate district|State Senator]]
| leader_name1       = {{Representative|casd|21|fmt=sleader}}<ref name=swd>{{cite web
   | url = http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html
   | title = Statewide Database
   | publisher = UC Regents
   | access-date = October 9, 2014
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 }}</ref>
| leader_title2      = [[California's 37th State Assembly district|CA Assembly]]
| leader_name2       = {{Representative|caad|37|fmt=sleader}}<ref name=swd/>
| leader_title3      = [[California's 24th congressional district|U.S. Rep.]]
| leader_name3       = {{Representative|cacd|24|fmt=usleader}}<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|24|access-date=September 29, 2014}}</ref>
<!-- Area------------------>| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 30, 2021}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi   = 42.00
| area_total_km2     = 108.79
| area_land_sq_mi    = 19.51
| area_land_km2      = 50.52
| area_water_sq_mi   = 22.50
| area_water_km2     = 58.26
| area_water_percent = 53.56
| elevation_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite GNIS|1661401|Santa Barbara | access-date = October 9, 2014}}</ref>
| elevation_m        = 15
| elevation_ft       = 49
<!-- Population ----------->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name=quif>{{cite web | url = https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/santabarbaracitycalifornia,US/PST045219 | title = Santa Barbara (city) QuickFacts | publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date = September 9, 2021 | archive-date = August 28, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200828051147/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/santabarbaracitycalifornia,US/PST045219 | url-status = live }}</ref>
| population_total   = 88665
| population_rank    = [[List of largest California cities by population|97th]] in California
| population_density_sq_mi = 4546.92
| population_urban   = 202,197 (US: [[List of United States urban areas|190th]])<ref name="urban area">{{cite web | url = https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html | title = List of 2020 Census Urban Areas | website = census.gov | publisher = United States Census Bureau | access-date = January 8, 2023 | archive-date = January 14, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230114022812/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html | url-status = live }}</ref>
| population_density_urban_sq_mi = 3,688.9
| population_metro   = 446,475 (US: [[Metropolitan statistical area|123rd]])
| timezone           = [[Pacific Time Zone]]
| utc_offset         = −8
| timezone_DST       = PDT
| utc_offset_DST     = −7
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]s<ref>{{cite web
 | url                      = https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action
 | title                      = ZIP Code(tm) Lookup
 | publisher                      = [[United States Postal Service]]
 | access-date                      = November 29, 2014
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 | url-status                      = live
 }}</ref>
| postal_code        = 93101–93103, 93105–93111, 93116–93118, 93120–93121, 93130, 93140, 93150, 93160, 93190, 93199
| area_code_type     = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
| area_code          = [[Area code 805|805]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = {{FIPS|06|69070}}
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
| blank1_info        = {{GNIS 4|1661401}}, {{GNIS 4|2411815}}
| website            = {{official url}}
}}

'''Santa Barbara''' ({{langx|es|Santa Bárbara}}, meaning {{gloss|[[Saint Barbara]]}}) is a coastal city in [[Santa Barbara County, California]], of which it is also the [[county seat]]. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the [[West Coast of the United States]] excepting Alaska, the city lies between the steeply rising [[Santa Ynez Mountains]] and the [[Pacific Ocean]]. Santa Barbara's climate is often described as [[Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]], and the city has been dubbed "The American Riviera".<ref name="travel.nytimes.com">{{cite news |last=Horowitz |first=Joy |url=http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/california/santa-barbara/overview.html |title=New York Times article on Santa Barbara |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=May 20, 2012 |archive-date=July 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723192530/http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/california/santa-barbara/overview.html |url-status=live }}</ref> According to the [[2020 United States census|2020 U.S. census]], the city's population was 88,665.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/santabarbaracitycalifornia |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Santa Barbara city, California |publisher=Census.gov |date= |access-date=February 16, 2022 |archive-date=June 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240610111521/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/santabarbaracitycalifornia |url-status=live }}</ref>

In addition to being a popular tourist and resort destination, the city has a diverse economy that includes a large service sector, education, technology, health care, finance, agriculture, manufacturing, and local government. In 2004, the service sector accounted for 35% of local employment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oldsite.sbchamber.org/employment/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413121614/http://oldsite.sbchamber.org/employment/index.html|url-status=dead|title=Santa Barbara economic statistics, 2005|archive-date=April 13, 2010}}</ref> In 2024, the biggest employer in Santa Barbara County was government, followed by private education and healthcare, then leisure and hospitality. Together, these accounted for 50.5% of all employment.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 Year in Review {{!}} Economic Forecast Project |url=https://efp.ucsb.edu/blog/community-policy-research/2024-year-review |access-date=2025-11-06 |website=efp.ucsb.edu}}</ref>

Area institutions of higher learning include the [[University of California, Santa Barbara]], [[Santa Barbara City College]], [[Westmont College]], and [[Antioch University Santa Barbara]]. The city is served by [[Santa Barbara Municipal Airport]] and train service is provided by [[Amtrak]], which operates the ''[[Pacific Surfliner]]'', which runs from [[San Diego]] to [[San Luis Obispo, California|San Luis Obispo]].

The Santa Barbara area is connected via [[U.S. Route 101 in California|U.S. Highway 101]] to [[Los Angeles]] {{cvt|100.|mi|-1}} to the southeast and [[San Francisco]] {{cvt|325|mi|round=5}} to the northwest. Behind the city, in and beyond the Santa Ynez Mountains, is the [[Los Padres National Forest]], which contains several remote wilderness areas. [[Channel Islands National Park]] and [[Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary]] are located approximately {{convert|20|mi|-1}} offshore.
{{TOC limit}}

==History==
{{Main|History of Santa Barbara, California}}

{{Quote box
| title = Historical affiliations
| quote = {{flagicon image|Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg}} [[Spanish Empire]] 1769–1821<br />{{flagicon image|Bandera del Primer Imperio Mexicano.svg}} [[First Mexican Empire]] 1821–1823<br />{{flagicon|MEX}} [[United Mexican States]] 1823–1848<br />{{flag|United States|1848}} 1848–present
| align = left
| width = 22em
| fontsize = 90%
| bgcolor = #B0C4DE
}}

Evidence of human habitation of the area begins at least 13,000 years ago. Evidence for a [[Paleo-Indians|Paleoindian]] presence includes a fluted [[Clovis culture|Clovis]]-like point found in the 1980s along the western Santa Barbara County coast, as well as the remains of [[Arlington Springs Man]], found on Santa Rosa Island in the 1960s. At least 25,000 [[Chumash people|Chumash]] natives lived in the region prior to Spanish contact.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chumash Life|url=https://www.sbnature.org/collections-research/anthropology/chumash-life/ |access-date=February 20, 2021|website=Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History}}</ref> Five Chumash villages flourished in the area. The present-day area of Santa Barbara City College was the village of ''Mispu''; the site of the Los Baños pool (along west beach) was the village of ''Syukhtun'', chief Yanonalit's large village located between Bath and Chapala streets; ''Amolomol'' was at the mouth of Mission Creek; and ''Swetete'', above the bird refuge.<ref name="radic">{{cite web
| last       = Radic
| first       = Theo
| title       = Syukhtun
| work       = Syukhtun Editions
| access-date       = May 7, 2013
| year       = 2002
| url       = http://syukhtun.com/
| archive-date       = June 2, 2017
| archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20170602022034/http://syukhtun.com/
| url-status       = live
}}</ref>

===Spanish era===
[[File:Santa Barbara mission CA1.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mission Santa Barbara]], known as "the Queen of the Missions", was founded by the Spanish in 1786.]]
The explorer [[Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo]], sailing for the [[Kingdom of Spain]], sailed through what is now called the [[Santa Barbara Channel]] in 1542, anchoring briefly in the area. In 1602, Spanish maritime explorer [[Sebastián Vizcaíno]] gave the name "Santa Barbara" to the channel and also to one of the [[Channel Islands of California|Channel Islands]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Gudde |first=Erwin G. |pages=[https://archive.org/details/californiaplacen0000gudd/page/294 294] |year=1969 |title=California Place Names |url=https://archive.org/details/californiaplacen0000gudd|url-access=registration |location=Berkeley |publisher=University of California Press |access-date=April 11, 2014}}</ref>

A land [[Portola expedition|expedition]] led by [[Gaspar de Portolà]] visited around 1769, and Franciscan missionary [[Juan Crespi]], who accompanied the expedition, named a large native town "Laguna de la Concepción". Cabrillo's earlier name, however, is the one that has survived.
[[File:SB Presidio.jpg|thumb|right|[[Presidio of Santa Barbara]]]] 
The first permanent European residents were Spanish missionaries and soldiers under [[Felipe de Neve]], who arrived in 1782 and constructed the [[Presidio of Santa Barbara|Presidio]]. They were sent to both secure the Spanish claim to the region and to convert the [[Indigenous peoples of California|indigenous peoples]] to [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]]. Many of the Spaniards brought their families with them, and those formed the nucleus of the small town&nbsp;– at first just a cluster of adobes&nbsp;– that surrounded the [[Presidio of Santa Barbara]]. The Santa Barbara Mission was established on the Feast of [[Saint Barbara]], December 4, 1786. It was the tenth of the California Missions to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mission & History|url=https://www.santabarbaramission.org/mission-history|access-date=February 27, 2021|website=Old Mission Santa Barbara|language=en-US|archive-date=December 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221140920/https://www.santabarbaramission.org/mission-history|url-status=live}}</ref> It was dedicated by Padre [[Fermín Lasuén]], who succeeded Padre [[Junipero Serra]] as the second president and founder of the California Franciscan Mission Chain. The Chumash laborers built a connection between the canyon creek and the Santa Barbara Mission water system through the use of a dam and an aqueduct.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.independent.com/news/2015/jan/20/history-rattlesnake-canyon/|title=The History of Rattlesnake Canyon|last=Redmon|first=Michael|date=January 20, 2015|work=Santa Barbara Independent|access-date=August 7, 2017|archive-date=August 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808075141/http://www.independent.com/news/2015/jan/20/history-rattlesnake-canyon/|url-status=live}}</ref> During the following decades, many of the natives died of diseases such as [[smallpox]], against which they had no [[Innate immune system|natural immunity]].<ref>Baker, Gayle, ''Santa Barbara'' HarborTown Histories Publishers, Santa Barbara, CA, 2003, {{ISBN|978-0-9710984-1-1}} (print) 978-0-9879038-1-5 (e-book) p. 12–13</ref>
[[File:José_de_la_Guerra_y_Noriega_(cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Don [[José de la Guerra y Noriega]] served as Commandant of the [[Presidio of Santa Barbara]] and founded the [[Guerra family of California]], a prominent [[Californio]] family which produced numerous Mayors of Santa Barbara, California Senators, and more.]]
The most dramatic event of the Spanish period was the powerful [[1812 San Juan Capistrano earthquake|1812 earthquake]], and [[tsunami]], with an estimated magnitude of 7.1, which destroyed the Mission as well as the rest of the town; water reached as high as present-day Anapamu Street, and carried a ship half a mile up Refugio Canyon.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usc.edu/dept/tsunamis/2005/news/articles/pdfs/2005_01_09_tsunami_LAT.pdf |title=Los Angeles Times article on 1812 tsunami |access-date=May 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120917105445/http://www.usc.edu/dept/tsunamis/2005/news/articles/pdfs/2005_01_09_tsunami_LAT.pdf |archive-date=September 17, 2012 }}</ref><ref>Tompkins, 1975, p. 13–14</ref> The Mission was rebuilt by 1820 after the earthquake.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.athanasius.com/camission/barbara.htm|title=Mission Santa Barbara|website=Athanasius.com|access-date=August 8, 2017|archive-date=May 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503190117/http://www.athanasius.com/camission/barbara.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Following the earthquake, the Mission fathers chose to rebuild in a grander manner, and it is this construction that survives to the present day, the best-preserved of the California Missions, and still functioning as an active church by the Franciscans. After the Mexican government secularized the missions in the 1830s, the baptismal, marriage, and burial records of other missions were transferred to Santa Barbara, and are now found in the [[Santa Barbara Mission-Archive Library|Santa Barbara Mission Archive-Library]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.c-span.org/video/?404339-1/mission-santa-barbara-library-archives |title=Old Mission Santa Barbara Library and Archives |work=C-SPAN |date=January 14, 2016 |access-date=May 25, 2018}}</ref>

The Spanish period ended in 1822 with the conclusion of the [[Mexican War of Independence]], which terminated 300 years of Spanish colonial rule and transferred control to the newly independent Mexican government.

Santa Barbara street names reflect the influence of the Spanish period. The names ''de le Guerra'' and ''Carrillo'' come from the [[Guerra family of California]] and [[Carrillo family of California]], respectively. They were instrumental in building up the town, so they were honored by having streets named after them.<ref>Redmon, Michael (November 21, 2014) [http://www.independent.com/news/2014/nov/21/history-behind-street-names/ "The History Behind Street Names"] ''[[Santa Barbara Independent]]''</ref>

===Mexican era===
After the forced [[Mexican secularization act of 1833|secularization of the Missions in 1833]], successive [[Governor of Alta California#Mexican Governors of Alta California|Mexican Governors]] distributed the large land tracts formerly held by the Franciscan Order to various families in order to reward service or build alliances. These land grants to local notable families mark the beginning of the "Rancho Period" in California and Santa Barbara history. Fernando Tico was one of the first settlers who received land grants for the local area. Fernando led the Native Americans against the Argentinian pirates in the 1800s. The population remained sparse, with enormous cattle operations run by wealthy families. It was during this period that [[Richard Henry Dana Jr.]] first visited Santa Barbara and wrote about the [[culture]] and people of Santa Barbara in his book ''[[Two Years Before the Mast]]''.

[[File:Santa Barbara County Courthouse Mural room.jpg|right|thumb|Mural Room (formerly Board of Supervisors' Hearing Room) within the Santa Barbara County Courthouse. Wall murals depict the history of Santa Barbara. The room is used occasionally as a courtroom.]]
Santa Barbara fell bloodlessly to a battalion of [[United States Army|American soldiers]] under [[John C. Frémont]] on December 27, 1846, during the [[Mexican–American War]], and after the [[Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo]] in 1848 it became part of the expanding United States.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Walker|first=Dale|url=https://archive.org/details/bearflagrisingco00walk_0/page/234/mode/2up|title=Bear Flag Rising|publisher=Forge|year=1999|page=235|isbn=9780312866853|access-date=February 20, 2021|url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=May 2000|title=History of Santa Barbara – Timeline|url=https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/services/community/historic/historysb/timeline.asp|access-date=February 20, 2021|website=City of Santa Barbara|archive-date=February 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207015813/https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/services/community/historic/historysb/timeline.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Post-Conquest era===
[[File:Sant Barbara - State Street 1880s.jpg|right|thumb|State Street Santa Barbara, California in the 1880s.  A view looking north from Canon Perdido Street.]]
Change came quickly in Santa Barbara following the American [[Conquest of California]]. The population doubled between 1850 and 1860. In 1851, land surveyor Salisbury Haley designed the street grid, famously botching the block measurements, misaligning the streets, thereby creating doglegs at certain intersections.<ref>Tompkins, 1983, p. 113</ref> Wood construction replaced adobe as American settlers moved in; during the [[California Gold Rush|Gold Rush years]] and following, the town became a haven for bandits and gamblers, and a dangerous and lawless place. Charismatic gambler and [[highwayman]] [[Jack Powers]] had virtual control of the town in the early 1850s, until driven out by a posse organized in San Luis Obispo. English gradually supplanted Spanish as the language of daily life, becoming the language of official record in 1870.<ref>Baker, p. 34–35</ref> The first newspaper, the ''Santa Barbara Gazette'', was founded in 1855.<ref>Baker, p. 39</ref>

While the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] had little effect on Santa Barbara, the disastrous drought of 1863 ended the Rancho Period, as most of the cattle died and ranchos were broken up and sold. Mortimer Cook, a wealthy entrepreneur, arrived in 1871 and opened the city's first bank. Cook later served two terms as mayor.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Redmon|first1=Michael|title=Early Banks and Banking in Santa Barbara|url=http://www.independent.com/news/2014/dec/10/early-banks-and-banking-santa-barbara/|work=[[Santa Barbara Independent]]|date=December 10, 2014|access-date=February 5, 2015|archive-date=July 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729200547/http://www.independent.com/news/2014/dec/10/early-banks-and-banking-santa-barbara/|url-status=live}}</ref> Cook founded the first National Gold Bank of Santa Barbara in 1873. The building of [[Stearns Wharf]] in 1872 enhanced Santa Barbara's commercial and tourist accessibility; previously goods and visitors had to transfer from [[steamboat]]s to smaller craft to row ashore. During the 1870s, writer [[Charles Nordhoff (journalist)|Charles Nordhoff]] promoted the town as a health resort and destination for well-to-do travelers from other parts of the U.S.; many of them came, and many stayed. The luxurious [[Arlington Hotel (Santa Barbara, California)|Arlington Hotel]] dated from this period. In 1887 the railroad finally went through to Los Angeles, and in 1901 to San Francisco: Santa Barbara was now easily accessible by land and by sea, and subsequent development was brisk.<ref>Baker, pp. 56–59, 66</ref> Santa Barbara had a [[Streetcars in Santa Barbara, California|system of street railways]] that operated from 1875 through 1929. Begun as a single mule-drawn line from the waterfront pier to the Arlington Hotel, over the decades it was incrementally expanded, later electrified, and operated until its closure in June 1929.

[[Peter J. Barber]], an architect, designed many Late Victorian style residences, and served twice as mayor, in 1880 and again in 1890. A year after Barber's term as mayor, President Benjamin Harrison became the first of five presidents to visit Santa Barbara.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Redmon|first1=Michael|title=Theodore Roosevelt visits Santa Barbara|url=http://www.independent.com/news/2014/sep/16/theodore-roosevelt-visits-santa-barbara/|access-date=February 5, 2015|agency=Independent|newspaper=Independent|date=September 16, 2014|archive-date=February 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224215722/http://www.independent.com/news/2014/sep/16/theodore-roosevelt-visits-santa-barbara/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Early 20th century to World War II===
[[File:SantaBarbaraVenturaOilGasFields.png|thumb|right|A map of Santa Barbara Oil and Gas Fields]]
Just before the turn of the 20th century, oil was discovered at the [[Summerland Oil Field]], and the region along the beach east of Santa Barbara sprouted numerous oil derricks and piers for [[Offshore drilling|drilling offshore]]. This was the first offshore oil development in the world; oil drilling offshore would become a contentious practice in the Santa Barbara area, which continues to the present day.<ref>Baker, p. 63</ref>

Santa Barbara housed the world's largest movie studio during the era of silent film. Flying A Studios, a division of the [[American Film Manufacturing Company]], operated on two city blocks centered at State and Mission between 1910 and 1922, with the industry shutting down locally and moving to [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] once it outgrew the area, needing the resources of a larger city. Flying A and the other smaller local studios produced approximately 1,200 films during their tenure in Santa Barbara, of which approximately 100 survive.<ref>Tompkins, 1976, p. 258</ref><ref>Baker, p. 72</ref><ref>Birchard, p. 49</ref>

During this period, the [[Alco Hydro-Aeroplane Company|Loughead Aircraft Company]] was established on lower State Street, and regularly tested [[seaplane]]s off of East Beach. This was the genesis of what would later become [[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]].
[[File:Santa Barbara County Courthouse, California.jpg|thumb|right|The new Santa Barbara County Courthouse was dedicated on August 14, 1929.]]
The magnitude 6.3<ref>{{cite web|url=http://projects.eri.ucsb.edu/sb_eqs/SBEQCatlog/SBEQdescrips/SBEQs1921-1925.html|title=Catalog of Santa Barbara Earthquakes|publisher=Institute for Crustal Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara|access-date=September 29, 2014|archive-date=September 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919090301/https://projects.eri.ucsb.edu/sb_eqs/SBEQCatlog/SBEQdescrips/SBEQs1921-1925.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Southern California Earthquake Data Center|title=Significant Earthquakes and Faults, Santa Barbara Earthquake|url=http://www.data.scec.org/significant/santabarbara1925.html|access-date=September 29, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103042939/http://www.data.scec.org/significant/santabarbara1925.html|archive-date=January 3, 2015}}</ref> [[1925 Santa Barbara earthquake|earthquake of June 29, 1925]], the first destructive earthquake in California since the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 San Francisco quake]], destroyed much of downtown Santa Barbara and killed 13 people. The earthquake caused infrastructure to collapse including the Sheffield Dam.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://projects.eri.ucsb.edu/sb_eqs/1925/1925.html|title=1925 Santa Barbara Earthquake: In Brief|website=projects.eri.ucsb.edu|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-date=August 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821170211/http://projects.eri.ucsb.edu/sb_eqs/1925/1925.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The low death toll is attributed to the early hour (6:44&nbsp;a.m., before most people were out on the streets, vulnerable to falling masonry). While this quake, like the one in 1812, was centered in the Santa Barbara Channel, it caused no tsunami. It came at an opportune time for rebuilding, since a movement for architectural reform and unification around a [[Spanish Colonial Revival architecture|Spanish Colonial style]] was already underway. Under the leadership of [[Pearl Chase]], many of the city's famous buildings rose as part of the rebuilding process, including the [[Santa Barbara County Courthouse]], sometimes praised as the "most beautiful public building in the United States." In 1907 in northern Santa Barbara county a horrific train accident claimed the lives of 37, the exact cause of which is still unknown. It is still the deadliest disaster in the Santa Barbara history.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Redmon|first1=Michael|title=1907 Train Wreck|url=http://www.independent.com/news/2013/jul/02/1907-train-wreck/|work=[[Santa Barbara Independent]]|date=July 2, 2013|access-date=February 10, 2015|archive-date=December 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213231610/http://www.independent.com/news/2013/jul/02/1907-train-wreck/|url-status=live}}</ref>

During World War II, Santa Barbara was home to [[Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara]], and [[Naval Reserve Center Santa Barbara]] at the harbor. Up the coast, west of the city, was the Army's Camp Cooke (the present-day [[Vandenberg Space Force Base]]). In the city,
Hoff General Hospital treated servicemen wounded in the [[Pacific Ocean theater of World War II|Pacific Theatre]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.militarymuseum.org/HoffGen%20Hosp.html|title=Hoff General Hospital|access-date=December 17, 2020|archive-date=January 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102025644/http://www.militarymuseum.org/HoffGen%20Hosp.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 23, 1942, not long after the outbreak of war in the Pacific, the Japanese submarine ''[[Japanese submarine I-17|I-17]]'' surfaced offshore and [[Bombardment of Ellwood|lobbed 16 shells]] at the [[Ellwood Oil Field]], about {{convert|10|mi|km|round=5}} west of Santa Barbara, in the first shelling attack by an enemy power on the continental U.S. since the [[Attack on Orleans|bombardment of Orleans]] in [[World War I]]. Although the shelling was inaccurate and only caused about $500 damage to a catwalk, panic was immediate. Many Santa Barbara residents fled, and land values plummeted to historic lows.

===After World War II===

[[File:Santa Barbara Harbor by Don Ramey Logan.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Santa Barbara Harbor and [[Stearns Wharf]]]]
After the war many of the servicemen who had seen Santa Barbara returned to stay. The population surged by 10,000 people between the end of the war and 1950. This burst of growth had dramatic consequences for the local economy and infrastructure. [[U.S. Highway 101|Highway 101]] was built through town during this period, and newly built [[Lake Cachuma]] began supplying water via a tunnel dug through the mountains between 1950 and 1956.<ref>[http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb/html/cachuma.html U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: page on the Lake Cachuma project] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609100621/http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb/html/cachuma.html |date=June 9, 2009 }}</ref>

[[File:State Street, Santa Barbara - panoramio - Thomas Camargo.jpg|thumb|right|State Street, Santa Barbara]]
Local relations with the oil industry gradually soured through the period. Production at Summerland had ended, Elwood was winding down, and to find new fields oil companies carried out seismic exploration of the Channel using explosives, a controversial practice that local fishermen claimed harmed their catch. The culminating disaster, and one of the formative events in the modern environmental movement, was the [[1969 Santa Barbara oil spill|blowout at Union Oil's Platform A]] on the [[Dos Cuadras Offshore Oil Field|Dos Cuadras Field]], about {{convert|8|mi|km|spell=in}} southeast of Santa Barbara in the Santa Barbara Channel, on January 28, 1969. Approximately {{convert|100000|oilbbl}} of oil surged out of a huge undersea break, fouling hundreds of square miles of ocean and all the coastline from Ventura to Goleta, as well north facing beaches on the Channel Islands. Two legislative consequences of the spill in the next year were the passages of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the [[National Environmental Policy Act]] (NEPA); locally, outraged citizens formed GOO (Get Oil Out).<ref name="Baker, pp. 88-89">Baker, pp. 88–89</ref>
Santa Barbara's business community strove to attract development until the surge in the anti-growth movement in the 1970s. Many "clean" industries, especially aerospace firms such as Raytheon and Delco Electronics, moved to town in the 1950s and 1960s, bringing employees from other parts of the U.S. UCSB itself became a major employer.<ref name="Baker, pp. 88-89"/> In 1975, the city passed an ordinance restricting growth to a maximum of 85,000 residents, through zoning. Growth in the adjacent Goleta Valley could be shut down by denying water meters to developers seeking permits. As a result of these changes, growth slowed down, but prices rose sharply.<ref>Tompkins, 1975, p. 115</ref><ref>Baker, pp. 89–91</ref>

When voters approved connection to State water supplies in 1991, parts of the city, especially outlying areas, resumed growth, but more slowly than during the boom period of the 1950s and 1960s. While the slower growth preserved the quality of life for most residents and prevented the [[urban sprawl]] notorious in the [[Los Angeles Basin|Los Angeles basin]], housing in the Santa Barbara area was in short supply, and prices soared: in 2006, only six percent of residents could afford a median-value house. As a result, many people who work in Santa Barbara commute from adjacent, more affordable areas, such as Santa Maria, [[Lompoc, California|Lompoc]], and Ventura. The resultant traffic on incoming arteries, in particular the stretch of Highway 101 between Ventura and Santa Barbara, is another problem being addressed by long-range planners.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rabin |first1=Jeffrey L. |last2=Kelley |first2=Daryl |date=March 6, 2006 |title=Slow Growth Movement &#124; 'Slow Growth' Has Come at a Cost in Santa Barbara |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-mar-06-me-slowgrow6-story.html |access-date=May 20, 2012 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

====Notable wildfires====
Since the middle of the twentieth century, several destructive fires have affected Santa Barbara: the 1964 Coyote Fire, which burned {{convert|67000|acre|km2}} of backcountry along with 106 homes; the smaller, but quickly moving, Sycamore Fire in 1977, which burned 200 homes; the disastrous 1990 [[Painted Cave Fire]], which incinerated over 500 homes in only several hours, during an intense [[Sundowner (wind)|Sundowner wind]] event; the November 2008 [[Montecito Tea Fire|Tea Fire]], which destroyed 210 homes in the foothills of Santa Barbara and [[Montecito, California|Montecito]]; and the 2009 [[Jesusita Fire]] that burned {{convert|8733|acre|km2}} and destroyed 160 homes above the [[#Neighborhoods|San Roque]] region of Santa Barbara.<ref name=city1>{{cite web|url=http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/NR/rdonlyres/00BDE41C-79A6-4862-8D02-89E16FCB01CB/0/0611_Get_Ready_Santa_Barbara.pdf|title=City of Santa Barbara: Historical Santa Barbara Area Fires|website=Santabarbaraca.gov|date=June 2011|access-date=July 31, 2012|archive-date=July 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724101956/http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/NR/rdonlyres/00BDE41C-79A6-4862-8D02-89E16FCB01CB/0/0611_Get_Ready_Santa_Barbara.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=county1>{{cite web |url=http://www.sbcfire.com/au/dphist/history.htm |title=History of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department |access-date=July 31, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120720065051/http://www.sbcfire.com/au/dphist/history.htm |archive-date=July 20, 2012 }}</ref>

The [[Thomas Fire]] burned from its origins in [[Santa Paula, California|Santa Paula]] {{convert|60| miles|-1}} to the east of Santa Barbara and consumed {{convert|281,893|acre|km2}} in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, most of which consisted of rural land and wilderness areas. The fire started December 4, 2017, and was 100% contained by January 12, 2018. 1,050 structures were lost in the Thomas Fire, mostly east of Santa Barbara in Ventura County. The Thomas Fire has been the largest Santa Barbara County fire (in damage, not size) ever recorded to date.

==Geography==
[[File:Santabarbarastreetscene.jpg|thumb|left|Looking north from a Santa Barbara street toward "the Riviera" and the Santa Ynez Mountains beyond]]

Santa Barbara is located about {{convert|90|mi|0}} west-northwest of [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], along the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] coast. This stretch of coast along southern [[Santa Barbara County, California|Santa Barbara County]] is sometimes referred to as "The American Riviera",<ref>[http://www.santabarbaraca.com/visitor-info/ Santa Barbara tourism website, showing "The American Riviera" trademark] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212014138/http://www.santabarbaraca.com/visitor-info/ |date=February 12, 2014 }} (accessed February 2014)</ref> presumably because its geography and climate are similar to that of areas along the northern [[Mediterranean Sea]] coast (especially in southern France) known as the [[Riviera]]. The [[Santa Ynez Mountains]], an east–west trending range, rise dramatically behind the city, with several peaks exceeding {{convert|4000|ft|sigfig=2}}. Covered with [[chaparral]], oaks and [[sandstone]] [[outcrop]]s, they make a scenic backdrop to the town. Sometimes, perhaps once every three years, snow falls on the mountains, but it rarely stays for more than a few days. Nearer to town, directly east and adjacent to [[Mission Santa Barbara]], is an east–west ridge known locally as "the Riviera", traversed by a road called "Alameda Padre Serra" (shortened APS, which translates to "Father Serra's pathway").

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|42.0|sqmi|1}}, of which {{convert|19.5|sqmi}} of it is land and {{convert|22.5|sqmi}} of it, or 53.56%, is water. The high official figures for water is due to the extension of the city limit into the ocean, including a strip of city reaching out into the sea and inland again to keep the Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) within the city boundary.

==Climate==

Santa Barbara experiences a [[warm-summer Mediterranean climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Csb'') characteristic of coastal California. Santa Barbara's weather was ranked number 1 in the United States in 2023–2024 by ''U.S. News & World Report''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://realestate.usnews.com/real-estate/slideshows/best-places-to-live-in-the-us-for-the-weather#1|title=The 25 Best Places to Live for the Weather in 2023–2024|publisher=[[U.S. News & World Report]]|access-date=January 16, 2024}}</ref> Because the city lies along the ocean and parallel to the predominant westerly winds, sideshore and light onshore breezes moderate temperatures resulting in warmer winters and cooler summers compared with places farther inland.

In the winter, storms reach California, some of which bring heavy rainfall but the [[rain shadow]] effect of the coastal mountains can at times moderate or enhance the rainfall depending on local storm wind flows. Local rainfall totals can be enhanced by [[orographic lift]] when storms are accompanied by southerly flow pushing moist air over the Santa Ynez mountains, producing greater rainfall than in other coastal areas. [[Diurnal temperature variation]] reaches a maximum in winter due to lower humidity and the absence of summer fog. On average, only 1.7 nights have freezing lows.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/zip-code/california/santa_barbara/93111|title=Zip 93111 (Santa Barbara, CA) Climate|website=www.bestplaces.net|access-date=August 4, 2019|archive-date=August 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804190845/https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/zip-code/california/santa_barbara/93111|url-status=live}}</ref>

In general, summers are warm with very few hot days exceeding {{Convert|90|F}}, and winters are comfortable and sometimes warm with occasional cooler days topping out around {{Convert|54-58|F}}. Most days from December to February have highs of {{Convert|63-69|F}},
and most days from June to August have highs of {{Convert|72-84|F}}.

Summers in Santa Barbara are mostly rainless due to the presence of a high-pressure area over the eastern Pacific, but summer showers can happen due to tropical hurricane/Monsoonal flows that rarely reach the region; thunderstorms can also occur during the [[North American Monsoon]]. In the fall, afternoon or evening downslope winds, locally called "[[Sundowner winds|Sundowners]]", can raise temperatures into the high 90s °F (high 30s °C) and drop humidities into the single digits, increasing the chance of wildfires, along with their severity, due to downed power lines, etc., in the foothills north of the city.

Annual rainfall totals are highly variable and in exceptional years (like 1940–1941 and 1997–1998) over {{convert|40|in|mm}} of rain have fallen in a year,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ca7902 |title=Santa Barbara (COOP) |publisher=Wrcc.dri.edu |access-date=May 20, 2012 |archive-date=July 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716223941/https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ca7902 |url-status=live }}</ref> but in dry seasons less than {{convert|6|in|mm|-1}} is not unheard of. Snow sometimes covers higher elevations of the Santa Ynez Mountains but is extremely rare in the city itself. The most recent accumulating snow to fall near sea level was in January 1949, when approximately {{convert|2|in|cm}} fell in the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=11115 |title=Snow in Santa Barbara |publisher=Edhat |access-date=December 20, 2015}}</ref>

{{Weather box
| location    = Santa Barbara, California, 1991–2020 Normals, extremes 1893&ndash;present
| single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 90
| Feb record high F = 94
| Mar record high F = 96
| Apr record high F = 101
| May record high F = 101
| Jun record high F = 101
| Jul record high F = 105
| Aug record high F = 98
| Sep record high F = 108
| Oct record high F = 103
| Nov record high F = 98
| Dec record high F = 92
| year record high F = 108

|Jan avg record high F = 78.8
|Feb avg record high F = 78.8
|Mar avg record high F = 81.1
|Apr avg record high F = 86.2
|May avg record high F = 84.7
|Jun avg record high F = 82.1
|Jul avg record high F = 85.1
|Aug avg record high F = 85.8
|Sep avg record high F = 88.9
|Oct avg record high F = 91.4
|Nov avg record high F = 84.0
|Dec avg record high F = 75.8
|year avg record high F = 95.1

| Jan high F = 66.8
| Feb high F = 66.9
| Mar high F = 68.3
| Apr high F = 71.0
| May high F = 71.6
| Jun high F = 73.0
| Jul high F = 76.4
| Aug high F = 77.7
| Sep high F = 77.7
| Oct high F = 75.7
| Nov high F = 71.0
| Dec high F = 66.2
| year high F = 71.9

|Jan mean F = 56.6
|Feb mean F = 57.1
|Mar mean F = 58.8
|Apr mean F = 61.2
|May mean F = 63.0
|Jun mean F = 65.1
|Jul mean F = 68.3
|Aug mean F = 69.0
|Sep mean F = 68.6
|Oct mean F = 65.8
|Nov mean F = 60.6
|Dec mean F = 56.2
|year mean F =

| Jan low F = 46.5
| Feb low F = 47.3
| Mar low F = 49.4
| Apr low F = 51.4
| May low F = 54.3
| Jun low F = 57.3
| Jul low F = 60.2
| Aug low F = 60.3
| Sep low F = 59.5
| Oct low F = 56.0
| Nov low F = 50.2
| Dec low F = 46.1
| year low F = 53.2

|Jan avg record low F = 38.4
|Feb avg record low F = 40.2
|Mar avg record low F = 42.0
|Apr avg record low F = 44.3
|May avg record low F = 48.2
|Jun avg record low F = 52.5
|Jul avg record low F = 54.6
|Aug avg record low F = 54.7
|Sep avg record low F = 52.5
|Oct avg record low F = 48.3
|Nov avg record low F = 43.7
|Dec avg record low F = 38.5
|year avg record low F = 36.2

| Jan record low F = 20
| Feb record low F = 27
| Mar record low F = 30
| Apr record low F = 30
| May record low F = 34
| Jun record low F = 40
| Jul record low F = 44
| Aug record low F = 40
| Sep record low F = 33
| Oct record low F = 31
| Nov record low F = 28
| Dec record low F = 23
| year record low F = 20

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 4.43
|Feb precipitation inch = 4.41
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.20
|Apr precipitation inch = 1.01
|May precipitation inch = 0.41
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.14
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.01
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.01
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.05
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.84
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.40
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.07
|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 6.8
|Feb precipitation days = 7.4
|Mar precipitation days = 6.7
|Apr precipitation days = 3.1
|May precipitation days = 2.0
|Jun precipitation days = 1.5
|Jul precipitation days = 0.3
|Aug precipitation days = 0.4
|Sep precipitation days = 0.9
|Oct precipitation days = 2.2
|Nov precipitation days = 3.3
|Dec precipitation days = 5.9

|Jan sun = 186
|Feb sun = 197.8
|Mar sun = 279
|Apr sun = 300
|May sun = 310
|Jun sun = 300
|Jul sun = 341
|Aug sun = 310
|Sep sun = 270
|Oct sun = 240
|Nov sun = 180
|Dec sun = 186
|year sun = 3099.8

|Jand sun = 6
|Febd sun = 7
|Mard sun = 9
|Aprd sun = 10
|Mayd sun = 10
|Jund sun = 10
|Juld sun = 11
|Augd sun = 10
|Sepd sun = 9
|Octd sun = 8
|Novd sun = 6
|Decd sun = 6
|yeard sun =

|Jan percentsun = 59
|Feb percentsun = 64
|Mar percentsun = 75
|Apr percentsun = 76
|May percentsun = 71
|Jun percentsun = 69
|Jul percentsun = 77
|Aug percentsun = 75
|Sep percentsun = 73
|Oct percentsun = 71
|Nov percentsun = 58
|Dec percentsun = 61
|year percentsun = 
|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00047902&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Santa Barbara, CA
|access-date = May 7, 2023
|archive-date = May 8, 2023
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230508000148/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00047902&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|url-status = live
}}</ref><ref name = XMACIS2>{{cite web
|url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = xmACIS2
|access-date = May 7, 2023
|archive-date = August 15, 2019
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190815183401/http://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/
|url-status = live
}}</ref>
| source 2 = Weather Atlas (sun)<ref name= sun>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/california-usa/santa-barbara-climate|title=Monthly weather forecast and climate – Santa Barbara, CA|website=Santa Barbara – Weather Atlas|access-date=March 27, 2020}}</ref>
}}

==Geology and soils==
[[Image:Cliffs at Arroyo Burro Beach Park.jpg|thumb|left|Eastward view of the coastal bluffs of the [[Douglas Family Preserve]] park from [[Arroyo Burro Beach]]]]
The city of Santa Barbara is situated on a coastal plain between the [[Santa Ynez Mountains]] and the sea. This coastal plain consists of a complex array of [[Holocene]] and [[Pleistocene]] [[alluvial]] and [[colluvial]] deposits, [[marine terrace]]s, debris flows, and [[estuarine]] deposits.<ref name="Norris">{{cite book |title=The geology and landscape of Santa Barbara County, California|last= Norris|first= Robert M.|year= 2003|publisher= Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History|location= Santa Barbara, California|isbn= 978-0-936494-35-7|page= 33}}</ref><ref>{{cite map |editor=Dibblee, T.W. |editor2=Ehrenspeck, H.E. |title=Geologic map of the Santa Barbara quadrangle, Santa Barbara County, California|map=Santa Barbara quadrangle, Santa Barbara County, California|year=1986|url=https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_192.htm|scale=1:24,000|publisher=Dibblee Geological Foundation|location=Santa Barbara County, California|format=image|id=Dibblee Foundation Map DF-06|access-date=August 7, 2017}}</ref> Soils are mostly well drained brown fine [[sandy loam]] of the Milpitas series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/gmap/|title=SoilWeb: An Online Soil Survey Browser|website=California Soil Resource Lab|language=en|access-date=August 8, 2017|archive-date=May 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514215427/http://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/gmap/|url-status=live}}</ref> Rapid geologic uplift is characteristic of the entire region, as evidenced by the coastal bluffs and narrow beaches that are present along most of the coastline.<ref>Norris, p. 33</ref>

[[Image:SantaBarbaraCA ArlingtonPeakFromSkofield 20170911.jpg|thumb|right|Southern view of [[Arlington Peak (California)|Arlington Peak]] (elevation {{convert|3250|ft|m|disp=semicolon}})<ref name="pb">{{cite web|url=https://www.peakbagger.com/search.aspx?tid=M&ss=Arlington%20Peak&lat=&lon=|title=Peakbagger.com Peak/Range Search Page|access-date=April 22, 2020|publisher=Peakbagger.com.|location=Washington, US|date=1987–2020}}</ref> of the [[Santa Ynez Mountains]] from [[Skofield Park]]]]
Downtown Santa Barbara occupies a floodplain between two major geologic faults, the Mission Ridge Fault Zone to the north and the Mesa Fault to the south. The Mission Ridge Fault Zone runs along the range of hills known locally as the "Riviera", and the Mesa Fault defines the northern boundary of the band of hills called the "Mesa". These two faults converge near the Five Points Shopping Center at Los Positas and State Streets. Neither is well exposed, with their locations being inferred from topography, springs, seeps, and well logs.<ref>Norris, p. 101</ref> The Mesa Fault continues southeast offshore into the Santa Barbara Channel; the portion of the fault offshore is believed to have been responsible for the destructive [[1925 Santa Barbara earthquake|earthquake of 1925]].<ref>Norris, p. 102</ref> The Mission Ridge Fault trends east–west, being named the More Ranch Fault west of Santa Barbara, and forms the northern boundary of the uplands which include [[Isla Vista, California|Isla Vista]], More Mesa, and the [[Hope Ranch, California|Hope Ranch]] Hills.<ref>Norris, p. 100–101</ref>

Three major sedimentary bedrock units underlie the coastal plain: the [[Monterey Formation]], the [[Sisquoc Formation]], and the Santa Barbara Formation. The Santa Barbara Formation is one of the main units in the [[aquifer]] underlying the city. Its coarse-grained freshwater-bearing portion, much of which is below sea level, is protected from seawater intrusion by the More Ranch Fault, which has shielded it by uplifting less-permeable rocks between it and the sea. The majority of water wells in the Santa Barbara-Goleta area pull from this geologic unit.<ref>Norris, p. 95, 101</ref>

The Santa Ynez Mountains to the north of the city consist of multiple layers of sandstone and [[conglomerate (geology)|conglomerate]] units dating from the [[Jurassic|Jurassic Age]] to the present, uplifted rapidly since the [[Pliocene]], upended, and in some areas completely overturned. Rapid uplift has given these mountains their craggy, scenic character, and numerous landslides and debris flows, which form some of the urban and suburban lowland area, are testament to their geologically active nature.<ref name="Minor">{{cite web |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3001/downloads/pdf/SIM3001map.pdf |title=Geologic Map of the Santa Barbara Coastal Plain Area, Santa Barbara County, California |last1=Minor |first1=S.A. |display-authors=etal |date=2009 |publisher=USGS |access-date=December 20, 2015 |archive-date=January 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116103534/http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3001/downloads/pdf/SIM3001map.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Architecture==
{{see also|City of Santa Barbara Historic Landmarks|National Register of Historic Places listings in Santa Barbara County, California}}
The first Monterey-style adobe in California was built on State Street of Santa Barbara by the wealthy merchant Alpheus Thompson.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Redmon|first1=Michael|title=Alpheus Thompson|url=http://www.independent.com/news/2014/oct/01/alpheus-thompson/ |work=[[Santa Barbara Independent]]|date=October 1, 2014}}</ref> The dominant architectural themes of Santa Barbara are the [[Mediterranean Revival architecture|Mediterranean Revival]], [[Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture|Spanish Colonial Revival]] and the related [[Mission Revival style architecture|Mission Revival style]], encouraged through design guidelines adopted by city leaders after the 1925 earthquake destroyed much of the downtown commercial district.<ref>{{Cite report|title=Spanish Colonial Revival|url=https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=39180|access-date=May 29, 2021|publisher=City of Santa Barbara|department=Historic Resources|archive-date=May 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505162628/https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=39180|url-status=dead}}</ref> Residential architectural styles in Santa Barbara reflect the era of their construction. Many late-1800s [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] homes remain downtown and in the "Upper East" neighborhood. [[California Bungalow|California bungalows]] are common, built in the early decades of the 20th century. Spanish Colonial Revival-style homes built after 1925 are common all over the city, especially in newer upscale residential areas like [[Montecito, California|Montecito]] and [[Hope Ranch, California|Hope Ranch]]. Notable modernist and contemporary homes can be found as well.

==Neighborhoods==
[[File:View of The Waterfront from W Cabrillo Blvd in Santa Barbara, California.jpg|alt=View of The Waterfront from W Cabrillo Blvd in Santa Barbara, California|thumb|View of The Waterfront from W Cabrillo Blvd in Santa Barbara]]
[[File:View of the Eastside and Riviera in Santa Barbara, California from the Stearns Wharf.jpg|alt=View of the Eastside and Riviera in Santa Barbara, California from the Stearns Wharf|thumb|View of the Eastside and Riviera in Santa Barbara from the [[Stearns Wharf]]]]
Santa Barbara has a range of neighborhoods with distinctive histories, architecture, and culture. The significant consensus among locals as to the [[Vernacular geography|vernacular]] names and boundaries of these neighborhoods is generally well-reflected by local media outlets' regular use of them in daily reporting. These widely accepted neighborhood definitions differ somewhat from the City of Santa Barbara's formal administrative maps of city neighborhoods which are sometimes more granular and little used in common parlance or media reporting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CIty of Santa Barbara Maps |url=https://maps.santabarbaraca.gov/Html5Viewer/Index.html?configBase=https://maps.santabarbaraca.gov/Geocortex/Essentials/REST/sites/MAPS_Public_PROD_Portal/viewers/CityOfSantaBarbara_SecuredViewer/virtualdirectory/Resources/Config/Default |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=maps.santabarbaraca.gov}}</ref> Specific municipal service providers such as police, fire, public utilities, and private real estate entities may also use slightly varying neighborhood definitions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Neighborhoods – Santa Barbara City College |url=https://www.sbcc.edu/housing/neighborhoods.php |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=www.sbcc.edu}}</ref> The following is a list of the most widely accepted local neighborhoods, grouped by region.

=== Downtown ===

* '''Downtown''' is the central commercial district of Santa Barbara and hosts the highest density of restaurants, bars, and nightlife. It is generally bounded by the Granada Theatre in the Northwest, down State Street to the beach.
* '''Lower State Street''' is the portion of downtown from the area of [[Plaza de la Guerra]] (home to city hall) down to the beach. It hosts the highest density of restaurants, bars, and clubs and includes the [[Santa Barbara station|Santa Barbara train station]] and Funk Zone district, known for breweries and tasting rooms.
* '''The Waterfront''' comprises commercial and tourist-oriented business structures along Cabrillo Boulevard including [[Stearns Wharf]], the Santa Barbara Harbor, and the breakwater, and extending east toward the Bird Refuge and west along Shoreline Drive above the Santa Barbara City College campus West.

=== The Eastside ===

* '''The Lower Eastside''' begins east of State Street and runs northeast to the base of the Riviera. It generally includes [[Santa Barbara High School]], [[Santa Barbara Junior High School]], and the [[Santa Barbara Bowl]]. The Milpas street corridor, running from the Santa Barbara Bowl to the waterfront, is the second most important commercial strip in town, after State Street.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Indy Staff |date=2022-04-14 |title=Catching Up with Santa Barbara's Calle Milpas |url=https://www.independent.com/2022/04/13/catching-up-with-santa-barbara-calle-milpas/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=The Santa Barbara Independent |language=en-US}}</ref>
* '''The Upper Eastside''' begins east of state street around [[Alameda Park]] and [[Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden|Alice Keck Park]] and comprises a primarily residential area bounded in the Northeast by [[Mission Santa Barbara]] and Alameda Padre Serra (APS) road at the base of the Riviera.
* '''The Riviera''' encompasses an ocean-facing hillside and back hillside extending for approximately two miles. The north side extends from Foothill Road to Sycamore Canyon Road, and the south side extends from the Santa Barbara Mission to Salinas Street. The ribbon-like Alameda Padre Serra road serves as the principal artery for the neighborhood. The area has been known as the "American Riviera" since at least the latter half of the 19th century due to its resemblance to the Mediterranean coastal towns of Italy and France.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L7URAAAAYAAJ&q=%22american+riviera%22+Santa+barbara |title=Sunset |date=1898 |publisher=Passenger Department, Southern Pacific Company |language=en}}</ref> The neighborhood has winding streets with intricate stonework terracing built by early 20th-century Italian immigrants. Most of the topography of the Riviera is relatively steep, making it particularly noteworthy for homes with outstanding views of the City of Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean.
* [[Mission Canyon, California|'''Mission Canyon''']] contains the wooded hilly area beginning at Mission Santa Barbara and extending along Foothill Road, north and east into Mission Canyon Road and Las Canoas Road. A popular spot as an entry-point for weekend foothill hiking, it is a rustically beautiful, though fire-prone area of Santa Barbara due to heavy natural vegetation. The area is administratively outside of Santa Barbara City limits.

=== The Westside ===

* '''The Westside''' begins west of State Street and is bounded on its western and southwestern flanks by the Mesa. The area includes residential and commercial stretches on both sides of Highway 101, and reaches down to Cliff Drive, incorporating [[Santa Barbara City College]]. At its northern extent, it includes the 'Oak Park' neighborhood and abuts Upper State Street.
* '''The Mesa''' stretches {{convert|2.5|mi|km}} from Santa Barbara City College in the east to Arroyo Burro County Beach (or "Hendry's/The Pit" to locals) on the west. The neighborhood has beach access to Mesa Lane Beach, as well as Thousand Steps Beach. Residential development began here in the 1920s but was interrupted by the discovery of the [[Mesa Oil Field]]. The field was quickly exhausted, and after the Second World War, building of houses resumed, although the last oil tanks and sumps did not disappear until the early 1970s.<ref name="Easton">{{cite book |last=Easton |first=Robert Olney |title=Black tide: the Santa Barbara oil spill and its consequences |publisher=Delacorte Press |year=1972 |location=New York, New York |pages=89–90}}</ref>
* '''Alta Mesa and Bel Air''' comprise most of the coastal highlands of Santa Barbara, north (landward) of the Mesa. The area is almost entirely residential and includes Honda Valley Park and [[Elings Park]]. The area's northern slope provides notable views of downtown Santa Barbara, the Riviera, the [[Santa Ynez Mountains]], and the coast towards Ventura. The southern slope provides views of the [[Santa Barbara Channel]] and [[Channel Islands National Park]]. Due to its position along Santa Barbara County's east–west-trending southern coastline, fall and winter sunrises occur over the ocean, a rarity on the Pacific coast of the United States.
* '''Samarkand''' is a residential area home to about 2,000 inhabitants. The name Samarkand is derived from old Persian, meaning "the land of heart's desire" and was first applied to a deluxe Persian-style hotel converted from a boys' school in the area in 1920.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samarkand History |url=https://terryryken.com/santa-barbara-area-information/samarkand-history/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=terryryken.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Samarkand later became the moniker for the general neighborhood located between Las Positas Road, State Street, De La Vina Street, Oak Park, and Highway 101.

=== Upper State Street ===

* '''Upper State Street''' is the portion of State Street running east to west from the San Roque area in the east to just past the interchange of Highway 101 and [[California State Route 154]] in the west. It is a primarily commercial corridor bounded by San Roque to its North and Highway 101 to its south. It also generally includes the 'Hitchcock' area, comprising a residential portion, as well as the Earl Warren Showgrounds, and an adjacent golf course.
* '''[[San Roque, Santa Barbara, California|San Roque]]''' is located northwest of the downtown area, bounded to its south by Upper State Street and to its north by foothills. The area is considered to be somewhat more temperate than surrounding neighborhoods due to its relative distance from the ocean and shielding by the low coastal hills to the south of the 101 freeway. The area is almost exclusively residential except where it abuts the commercial corridor of Upper State Street.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1880 = 3460
| 1890 = 5864
| 1900 = 6587
| 1910 = 11659
| 1920 = 19441
| 1930 = 33613
| 1940 = 34958
| 1950 = 44854
| 1960 = 58768
| 1970 = 70215
| 1980 = 74414
| 1990 = 85571
| 2000 = 92325
| 2010 = 88410
| 2020 = 88665
| estyear = 2024
| estimate = 87291
| estref = <ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=QuickFacts: Santa Barbara city, California|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/santabarbaracitycalifornia|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 3, 2025}}</ref>
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-date=April 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426102944/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Santa Barbara city, California – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Santa Barbara city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US0669070&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web |title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Santa Barbara city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0669070&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= |archive-date=August 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806131719/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0669070&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2 |url-status=live }}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web |title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Santa Barbara city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0669070&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= |archive-date=August 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806131719/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0669070&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |url-status=live }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|53,849
|48,417
|style='background: #ffffe6; |45,882
|58.33%
|54.76%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |51.75%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|1,418
|1,177
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,086
|1.54%
|1.33%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.22%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|405
|313
|style='background: #ffffe6; |275
|0.44%
|0.35%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.31%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|2,467
|2,927
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,047
|2.67%
|3.31%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.44%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|98
|94
|style='background: #ffffe6; |61
|0.11%
|0.11%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.07%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other Race]] alone (NH)
|180
|186
|style='background: #ffffe6; |569
|0.19%
|0.21%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.64%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|1,578
|1,705
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,401
|1.71%
|1.93%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.84%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|32,330
|33,591
|style='background: #ffffe6; |34,344
|35.02%
|37.99%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |38.73%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''92,325'''
|'''88,410'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''88,665'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

The [[2020 United States census]] counted 88,665 people, 35,383 households, and 19,257 families in Santa Barbara.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table P16: HOUSEHOLD TYPE |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city,%20California%20p16&y=2020 |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><ref name=:0 /> The population density was {{convert|4,545.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 38,208 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,958.7|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}.<ref name=:0>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table DP1: PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city,%20California%20dp1 |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=data.census.gov |archive-date=January 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114041051/https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city%2C%20California%20dp1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/2020/geo/gazetter-file.html |access-date=December 30, 2023 |website=Census.gov |archive-date=August 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811052610/https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/2020/geo/gazetter-file.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The racial makeup was 58.47% (51,842) [[White (U.S. Census)|white]] or [[European American]] (51.75% [[Non-Hispanic White|non-Hispanic white]]), 1.4% (1,238) [[African American (U.S. Census)|black]] or [[African American|African-American]], 1.49% (1,320) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]], 3.59% (3,184) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.09% (80) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] or [[Native Hawaiian]], 17.62% (15,623) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 17.34% (15,378) from [[Multiracial Americans|two or more races]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table P1: RACE |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P1?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city,%20California%20p1&y=2020 |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=data.census.gov |archive-date=January 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114041050/https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P1?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city%2C%20California%20p1&y=2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race was 38.73% (34,344) of the population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table P2: HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P2?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city,%20California%20p2&y=2020 |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=data.census.gov |archive-date=January 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114041051/https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P2?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city%2C%20California%20p2&y=2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Of the 35,383 households, 23.5% had children under the age of 18; 38.5% were married couples living together; 31.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 32.3% of households consisted of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name=:0 /> The average household size was 2.4 and the average family size was 3.0.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1101: HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1101?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city,%20California%20s1101%20&y=2020 |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=data.census.gov |archive-date=January 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114041050/https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1101?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city%2C%20California%20s1101%20&y=2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 38.9% of the population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1501: EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1501?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city,%20California%20s1501%20&y=2020 |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=data.census.gov |archive-date=January 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114041050/https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1501?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city,%20California%20s1501%20&y=2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

16.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.5 males.<ref name=:0 /> For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 105.7 males.<ref name=:0 />

The 2016–2020 5-year [[American Community Survey]] estimates show that the median household income was $81,618 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,653) and the median family income was $105,513 (+/- $9,757).<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1903: MEDIAN INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2020 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS) |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1903?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city,%20California%20s1903%20&y=2020 |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> Males had a median income of $44,225 (+/- $2,697) versus $33,978 (+/- $2,747) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $40,200 (+/- $1,911).<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S2001: EARNINGS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2020 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS) |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S2001?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city,%20California%20s2001%20&y=2020 |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=data.census.gov |archive-date=January 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114041052/https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S2001?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city,%20California%20s2001%20&y=2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Approximately, 7.2% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.2% of those under the age of 18 and 8.5% of those ages 65 or over.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1701: POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1701?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city,%20California%20s1701%20&y=2020 |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1702: POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS OF FAMILIES |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1702?q=Santa%20Barbara%20city,%20California%20s1702&y=2020 |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

===2010 census===
{{bar box
|title= City of Santa Barbara 2010 U.S. Census<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0669070|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715033034/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0669070|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA – Santa Barbara city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref>
|titlebar=#ddd
|left1='''Self-identified Race'''
|right1='''Percent of population'''
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[White American|White]] alone|Blue|75.1}}
{{bar percent|[[African American]]|Blue|1.6}}
{{bar percent|[[Asian American|Asian]]|Blue|3.5}}
{{bar percent|[[Native Americans in the United States|American Indians and Alaska Natives]]|Blue|1.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Pacific Islands American|Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders]]|Blue|0.1}}
{{bar percent|[[Multiracial American|Two or more races]]|Blue|3.9}}
{{bar percent|Some Other Race|Blue|14.7}}
{{bar percent|'''Total'''|Blue|100}}
|caption= ''[[Hispanic and Latino American]] (of any race):'' 38.0%
}}

According to the [[2010 United States census]]<ref name="auto"/> the [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of Santa Barbara was 66,411 (75.1%) White; 1,420 (1.6%) African American; 892 (1.0%) Native American; 3,062 (3.5%) Asian (1.0% Chinese, 0.6% Filipino, 0.5% Japanese, 0.4% Korean, 0.4% Indian, 0.2% Vietnamese, 0.4% other); 116 (0.1%) Pacific Islander; 13,032 (14.7%) from other races; 3,477 (3.9%) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 33,591 persons (38.0%). [[European-Americans|Non-Hispanic]] Whites were 45,852 persons (52.2%)

The Census reported that 86,783 people (98.2% of the population) lived in households, 1,172 (1.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 455 (0.5%) were institutionalized.

Of the 35,449 households, 8,768 (24.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 13,240 (37.3%) were [[marriage|opposite-sex married couples]] living together, 3,454 (9.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, and 1,539 (4.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,420 (6.8%) [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 339 (1.0%) [[same-sex partnerships|same-sex married couples or partnerships]]; 11,937 households (33.7%) were made up of individuals, and 4,340 (12.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45. There were 18,233 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (51.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.13.

The age distribution of the city was the following: 16,468 people (18.6%) under the age of 18, 10,823 people (12.2%) aged 18 to 24, 26,241 people (29.7%) aged 25 to 44, 22,305 people (25.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 12,573 people (14.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males.

There were 37,820 housing units at an average density of {{convert|901.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}, of which 13,784 (38.9%) were owner-occupied, and 21,665 (61.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.1%; 34,056 people (38.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 52,727 people (59.6%) lived in rental housing units.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709054630/https://www.census.gov/|url-status=live}}</ref> of 2000, 92,325 people*, 35,605 households, and 18,941 families resided in the city. The population density was {{convert|4,865.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 37,076 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,953.8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 74.0% White, 1.8% African American, 1.1% Native American, 2.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 16.4% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background, of any race, were 35.0% of the population.

Of the 35,605 households, 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.8% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.8% were not families. About 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the city, the population was distributed as 19.8% under the age of 18, 13.8% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.

The median [[income]] for a household in the city was $47,498, and for a family was $57,880. Males had a median income of $37,116 versus $31,911 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $26,466. About 7.7% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over. If one compares the [[per capita income]] to the actual cost of living, the number of people living below the poverty line is considerably higher.

==Economy==
Aerospace and defense companies such as [[Alliant Techsystems]], [[Channel Technologies Group]], [[FLIR Systems]], and [[Raytheon]] have major operations in the area. As a tourist destination, the hospitality industry has a significant presence in the regional economy. Among notable business ventures and innovations, [[Motel 6]] was started in Santa Barbara in 1962.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Motel 6 ‘leaves light on’ for 60 years |url=https://togo.hotelbusiness.com/article/motel-6-leaves-light-on-for-60-years/ |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=HB To Go |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Boone |first1=Louis E. |title=Contemporary Marketing |last2=Kurtz |first2=David L. |publisher=Cengage Learning |year=2015 |isbn=9781305465466}}</ref> [[Sambo's]] Restaurant was founded in Santa Barbara in 1957 by Sam Battistone and Newell Bohnett.The [[McMuffin|Egg McMuffin]] was invented by [[Herb Peterson]] at the upper State Street [[McDonald's]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Andrew F. |title=Food and Drink in American History: A "Full Course" Encyclopedia |date=2013 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-61069-233-5 |location=Santa Barbara, California |language=en |oclc=900540521}}</ref> [[The Habit Burger Grill]] restaurant chain began in Old Town [[Goleta, California|Goleta]].<ref>"[https://www.habitburger.com/about-us/ Our Story] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703032834/https://www.habitburger.com/about-us/ |date=July 3, 2024 }}", The Habit Burger & Grill, accessed August 6, 2021.</ref> [[Kinko's]] (now owned by [[FedEx]] and known as [[FedEx Office]]) was founded by Paul Orfalea in Isla Vista, near [[University of California, Santa Barbara|UC Santa Barbara]], in 1970.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Muchnick |first=Marc |title=Naked Management : Bare Essentials For Motivating The X-Generation At Work |date=2020 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-000-67448-4 |edition=1st |oclc=1232691984}}</ref>

{{As of|2021|06}}, southern Santa Barbara County employed more than half the county's total workers.<ref>{{cite report |author=BW Research |date=2018 |title=Industry, Economic and Workforce Research |url=https://www.bwresearch.com/reports/BW_SBWDB-Report2018.pdf |publisher=Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board |page=8 |access-date=November 7, 2019 |archive-date=November 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107090123/https://www.bwresearch.com/reports/BW_SBWDB-Report2018.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The county's largest employers are:<ref>{{Cite report|url=https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=242083|title=Comprehensive Annual Financial Report: Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2021|date=December 11, 2021|publisher=Finance Department, City of Santa Barbara, California|page=196|access-date=August 20, 2021|archive-date=January 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106070120/https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=242083|url-status=dead}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
! % of Total Employment
|-
| 1
|[[County of Santa Barbara]]
|4,307
|4.89%
|-
|2
|[[University of California, Santa Barbara]]
|4,250
|4.83%
|-
|3
|[[Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital|Cottage Health Organization]]
|4,458 (2024)
|3.69%
|-
|4
|Mission Linen Supply
|2,000
|2.27%
|-
|5
|[[AppFolio]]
|1,350
|1.53%
|-
|6
|[[Santa Barbara Unified School District]]
|1,350
|1.53%
|-
|7
|City of Santa Barbara
|1,200
|1.36%
|-
|8
|[[Sansum Clinic|Sansum Medical Foundation Clinic]]
|1,200
|1.36%
|-
|9
|[[Raytheon|Raytheon Electronic Systems]]
|1,100
|1.25%
|-
|10
|[[Procore]]
|900
|1.02%
|}

Other major employers include Jordano's, Marborg Industries, the [[Santa Barbara Biltmore]] and [[San Ysidro Ranch]], [[Westmont College]], [[Mentor (company)|Mentor]], [[CJ Affiliate]], Beachfront [[Hilton Hotels & Resorts|Hilton Resort]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/life/columnists/2018/06/01/renovated-santa-barbara-resort-no-longer-carry-fess-parker-name/653856002/|title=Renovated Santa Barbara resort will no longer carry Fess Parker name|last=Loe|first=David|date=June 1, 2018|newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]]|language=en|access-date=November 5, 2019}}</ref> [[Belmond El Encanto]] and [[QAD Inc|QAD]].<ref>Search Results – Santa Barbara, California – [http://www.referenceusa.com/ ReferenceUSA] {{Webarchive|url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20081115005149/http://www.referenceusa.com/ |date=November 15, 2008 }} Current Businesses</ref>

Retail centers include the traditional downtown area along lower State Street, where the [[Paseo Nuevo]] shopping center is located, and [[La Cumbre Plaza]] on upper State Street.

==Arts and culture==

===Performing arts===
Santa Barbara contains numerous performing art venues, including the 2,000-seat [[Arlington Theatre]], which is the largest indoor performance venue in Santa Barbara and site of the annual [[Santa Barbara International Film Festival]]. Other major venues include the [[Lobero Theatre]], a historic building and favorite venue for small concerts; the Granada Theater, the tallest building downtown, originally built by contractor C.B. Urton in 1924, but with the theatre remodeled and reopened in March 2008; and the [[Santa Barbara Bowl]], a 4,562-seat outdoor amphitheater in a canyon at the base of the Riviera.

The city is considered a haven for [[European classical music|classical music]] lovers with the [[Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra]], a professional opera company,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Opera Santa Barbara |url=https://www.operasb.org/ |access-date=September 14, 2023 |website=Opera Santa Barbara |language=en-US |archive-date=September 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230912230108/https://www.operasb.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and many non-profit classical music groups (such as [[Community Arts Music Association|CAMA]]). Several youth orchestras are also located in Santa Barbara, such as the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 18, 2020 |title=Youth Symphony – Santa Barbara Symphony |url=https://thesymphony.org/education/youth-symphony/ |access-date=September 14, 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=September 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928221350/https://thesymphony.org/education/youth-symphony/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Music Academy of the West]], located in [[Montecito, California|Montecito]], hosts an annual music festival in the summer, drawing renowned students and professionals.

===Tourism===
{{see also|City of Santa Barbara Historic Landmarks|National Register of Historic Places listings in Santa Barbara County, California}}
[[File:Santa Barbara Harbor 2015.jpg|thumb|right|Santa Barbara Harbor]]
[[File:SantaBarbaraCA OurLadyOfSorrowsChurch2 20170912.jpg|thumb|right|[[Our Lady of Sorrows Church (Santa Barbara, California)|Our Lady of Sorrows Church]] across from [[Alameda Park]]]]
[[File:Santa Barbara downtown shopping center.jpg|thumb|right|Outdoor shops in downtown Santa Barbara]]
Santa Barbara is a year-round tourist destination renowned for its fair weather, downtown beaches, and Spanish architecture. Tourism brings more than one billion dollars per year into the local economy, including $80 million in tax revenue.<ref>Baker, p. 91</ref> The waterfront along Cabrillo Boulevard is a draw for tourists centered on [[Stearns Wharf]]. The pier features shops, restaurants, and the [[Ty Warner Sea Center]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-d-santa-barbara-20150503-story.html|title=The hip Funk Zone adds color to often-stodgy Santa Barbara|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date= May 2, 2015|first=Rosemary |last=McClure}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Palminteri |first=John |date=October 2, 2023 |title=13 cruise ships to visit Santa Barbara waters for the fall season |url=https://keyt.com/news/santa-barbara-s-county/2023/10/02/13-cruise-ships-to-visit-santa-barbara-waters-for-the-fall-season/ |access-date=October 5, 2023 |work=News Channel 3–12 |language=en-US |archive-date=October 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003183828/https://keyt.com/news/santa-barbara-s-county/2023/10/02/13-cruise-ships-to-visit-santa-barbara-waters-for-the-fall-season/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Mission Santa Barbara]], "The Queen of the Missions", is an active [[Franciscan]] mission and place of worship, sightseeing stop, and [[national historic landmark]]. Annually over the Memorial Day weekend, there is a chalk-art festival known as ''I Madonnari'', with ephemeral works of art created on the asphalt in front of the mission, and food stalls set up and music.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.com/news/2008/may/20/i-madonnaris-second-life-began-santa-barbara/|title=I Madonnari's Second Life Began in Santa Barbara|work=Santa Barbara Independent|date=May 21, 2008|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-date=August 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804093451/http://www.independent.com/news/2008/may/20/i-madonnaris-second-life-began-santa-barbara/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Santa Barbara County Courthouse]], a red tiled Spanish-Moorish structure, provides a view of the downtown area from its open air tower. The [[Presidio of Santa Barbara]], a Spanish military installation and chapel built in 1782, was central to the town's early development and colonial roots. In 1855, the Presidio Chapel, being in decay, grew into the Apostolic College of Our Lady of Sorrows, now [[Our Lady of Sorrows Church (Santa Barbara, California)|Our Lady of Sorrows Church]].<ref>{{cite web | url  = http://www.our-lady-of-sorrows-santa-barbara.com| title = Our Lady of Sorrows Church| website = Official Website| access-date = March 30, 2014}}</ref>
[[File:Santa Barbara Granada Theater.jpg|thumb|The Granada Theatre]]

===Events===
The annual Fiesta (originally called "Old Spanish Days") is celebrated every year in August. The Fiesta is hosted by the [[Native Daughters of the Golden West]] and the [[Native Sons of the Golden West]] in a joint committee called the Fiesta Board. Fiesta was originally started as a tourist attraction, like the [[Rose Bowl Game|Rose Bowl]], to draw business into the town in the 1920s.<ref>Patricia Ann Hardwick. (2010). The Old Spanish Days Fiesta in Santa Barbara, California: Cultural Hybridity, Colonial Mythologies and the Romanticization of a Latino Heritage. ''Humanities Diliman,'' ''7''(2), 60–94.</ref><ref>Ty Smith, "'A delightful deception: The politics of public memory and the re-creation of Spanish Santa Barbara, 1920–1987." Doctoral dissertation, [[University of California, Santa Barbara]] 2014.</ref> Flower Girls and Las Señoritas march and participate in both Fiesta Pequeña (the kickoff of Fiesta) and the various parades. Flower Girls is for girls under 13. They throw roses and other flowers into the crowds. Las Señoritas are their older escorts. Many Señoritas join the Native Daughters at the age of 16.

The annual Santa Barbara French Festival takes place on [[Bastille Day]] weekend in July and is the largest French Festival in the western United States.<ref>{{cite web|last=Delsol|first=Christine|date=July 5, 2012|title=Santa Barbara French Festival, July 13–14|url=https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Santa-Barbara-French-Festival-July-13-14-3686262.php|access-date=February 20, 2021|website=SFGATE|language=en-US}}</ref>

New Noise Music Conference and Festival, established in 2009, is a four-day event with the main party in the Funk Zone, a small art and wine tasting section of the city near the beach, and other small bands to local venues around the city. New Noise brings in over 75 bands and 50 speakers to the festival each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newnoisesb.org/?page_id=55|title=New Noise Music Festival|date=2017|access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref>

For over 40 years, the Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show has been held on Cabrillo Boulevard, east of [[Stearns Wharf]] and along the beach, attracting thousands of people to see artwork made by artists and crafts people that live in Santa Barbara county. By the rules of the show, all the works displayed must have been made by the artists and craftspeople themselves, who sell their own goods. The show started in the early 1960s, and now has over 200 booths on Sundays. The show is also held on some Saturdays that are national holidays, but not during inclement weather.

The [[Santa Barbara International Film Festival]], another local non-profit, draws over 50,000 attendees during what is usually Santa Barbara's slow season in late January. SBIFF hosts a wide variety of celebrities, premieres, panels and movies from around the world and runs for 10 days.

The annual [[Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Parade|Summer Solstice Parade]] draws up to 100,000 people.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.solsticeparade.com/history.htm |title=History – Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration |publisher=Solsticeparade.com |access-date=May 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514052829/http://solsticeparade.com/history.htm |archive-date=May 14, 2009 }}</ref> It is a colorful themed parade put on by local residents, and follows a route along Santa Barbara Street (formerly State Street) for approximately one mile, ending at [[Alameda Park]]. Its main rule is that no written messages or banners with words are allowed. Floats and costumes vary from the whimsical to the outrageous; parties and street events take place throughout the weekend of the parade, the first weekend after the solstice.

===Other attractions===

*[[Rafael Gonzalez House]] – [[Adobe]] residence of the alcalde of Santa Barbara in the 1820s, and a [[National Historic Landmark]].
*[[Santa Barbara's Moreton Bay Fig Tree]] – a giant [[Moreton Bay Fig]], {{convert|80|ft|m|round=5}} tall, which has one of the largest total shaded areas of any tree in North America
*[[Burton Mound]] – on Mason Street at Burton Circle, this mound is thought to be the [[Chumash people|Chumash]] village of [[Syujton]], recorded by [[Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo]] in 1542, and again by Fr. Crespí and Portolá in 1769. ([[California Historical Landmark]] No. 306)
*[[De La Guerra Plaza]] (Casa de la Guerra) – Site of the first City Hall, and still the center of the city's administration. (California Historical Landmark No. 307) Also the location of the [[Santa Barbara News-Press]].
*[[Covarrubias Adobe]] – Built in 1817; adjacent to the [[Santa Barbara Historical Museum]] on Santa Barbara Street. (California Historical Landmark No. 308)
*[[Hastings Adobe (Santa Barbara, California)|Hastings Adobe]] – Built in 1854, partially from material recovered from the wreck of the ''[[S.S. Winfield Scott]]''. (California Historical Landmark No. 559)
*[[Hill-Carrillo Adobe]] – Built in 1825 by [[Daniel A. Hill]] for his wife Rafaela L. Ortega y Olivera; currently at 11 E. Carrillo Street.
*[[Cold Spring Tavern]]
*[[Santa Barbara Zoo]]
*[[Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary]]
*[[Channel Islands National Park]]
*[[Presidio of Santa Barbara|El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park]]

===Museums===
[[File:Casa de la Guerra right side.jpg|right|thumb|[[Casa de la Guerra]] is currently open as a museum.]]

The [[Santa Barbara Museum of Art]] (SBMA), located on State Street, features nationally recognized collections and special exhibitions of international importance. Highlights of the Museum's permanent collection include antiquities; 19th-century French, British, and American art; 20th-century and contemporary European, North American, and Latin American art; Asian art; photography; and works on paper. It has an education program that serves local and surrounding communities through extensive on-site programming and curriculum resources.

[http://www.mcasantabarbara.org Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara] (MCASB), located on the top floor of Paseo Nuevo shopping mall, is a non-profit, non-collecting museum dedicated to the exhibition, education, and cultivation of the arts of our time. It offers free admission to its exhibitions and public programming.

Other art venues include the [[University art museum, Santa Barbara|University Art Museum]] on the University of California at Santa Barbara Campus, various private galleries, and a wide variety of art and photography shows. The [[Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History]] is located immediately behind the [[Santa Barbara Mission]] in a complex of Mission-style buildings set in a park-like campus. The Museum offers indoor and outdoor exhibits and a state-of-the-art planetarium.

The [[Santa Barbara Historical Museum]] is located on De La Guerra Street. The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is located at 113 Harbor Way (the former [[Naval Reserve Center Santa Barbara]]) on the waterfront. The [[Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum]] (free admission) houses a collection of historical documents and manuscripts. Two open air museums here are [[Lotusland]] and [[Casa del Herrero]], exemplifying the American Country Place era in Santa Barbara. [[Casa Dolores]], center for the popular arts of Mexico, is devoted to the collection, preservation, study, and exhibition of an extensive variety of objects of the popular arts of Mexico.

The Reagan Ranch Center is a three-story museum and gallery operated by [[Young America's Foundation]], next to the Amtrak Station on Lower State Street. Its focus is the history of the [[Rancho del Cielo]] and the role it played in Ronald Reagan's life.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://reaganranch.yaf.org/exhibits-galleries/the-reagan-ranch-center-gallery/|title=The Reagan Ranch Center Gallery – Reagan Ranch|work=Reagan Ranch|access-date=June 18, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

[[MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation]] is a [[non-profit]] [[science museum|science]] and [[children's museum|children's]] museum in Santa Barbara. A 501(c)(3) non-profit, the museum opened on February 25th, 2017.<ref name="NZHK">{{cite news |last1=Holland |first1=Brooke |title=MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation Set to Open on Saturday in Santa Barbara |url=https://www.noozhawk.com/moxi_the_wolf_museum_of_exploration_innovation_set_to_open_on_saturday/ |access-date=5 October 2025 |work=[[Noozhawk]] |date=24 February 2017}}</ref>

==Sports==
Athletics teams wearing the [[UC Santa Barbara Gauchos|UC Santa Barbara]] Gauchos uniform are some of the most popular spectator sports locally. The Gauchos field 20 varsity teams in [[NCAA Division I]], most of which play in the [[Big West Conference]]. Popular teams include the [[UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's soccer|men's soccer team]], which averages over 3,800 fans per game,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_soccer_RB/2016/2015attendance.pdf|title=MEN'S SOCCER ATTENDANCE RECORDS|website=Fs.ncaa.org|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-date=March 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305101119/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_soccer_RB/2016/2015attendance.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's basketball|men's basketball team]], which averages over 2,300 fans per game.<ref>{{cite report|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/Reports/attend/2016.pdf|title=2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Attendance|date=2016|website=Fs.ncaa.org|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-date=May 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517015329/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/Reports/attend/2016.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

Santa Barbara annually hosts the ''[[Semana Nautica 15K|Semana Nautica]]'' Summer Sports Festival.<ref>{{cite web |title=Semana Nautica |url=https://semananautica.com/ |website=Semana Nautica |access-date=June 16, 2020}}</ref> One of the main events of the festival is the [[Semana Nautica 15K]], the oldest continuously running race on California's central coast.<ref>{{cite web |title=Race History – Semana Nautica 15K |url=https://sbrunning.org/Race-History |website=Santa Barbara Athletic Association |access-date=June 16, 2020 |archive-date=June 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616074647/https://sbrunning.org/Race-History |url-status=dead }}</ref> Nite Moves is a popular local 5k race, with an optional ocean swim portion, open to all ages and held on Wednesday evenings from May to the end of August.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cervin |first=Michael |title=Santa Barbara know-it-all : a guide to everything that matters |date=2018 |isbn=978-1-68106-137-5 |location=St. Louis, MO |oclc=1011681223}}</ref>

Surfing is a part of Santa Barbara culture. The late [[Bruce Brown (director)|Bruce Brown]]'s cult classic documentary, ''[[The Endless Summer]]'', put surfing on the map, and he was often seen around town prior to his death in December 2017. Surfing legend Pat Curren and his son, three time world champion [[Tom Curren]], as well as ten time world champion [[Kelly Slater]], and other popular surfers such as Shaun Tompson, [[Jack Johnson (musician)|Jack Johnson]] and Chris Brown call Santa Barbara home. The Channel Islands block summer surf swells that come from the tropics or further south, the southern hemisphere. For these reasons Santa Barbara is viewed as a winter surf location.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

==Parks and recreation==
[[File:SBBotanicGarden1.JPG|right|thumb|The central meadow region of the [[Santa Barbara Botanic Garden]]]]
[[File:SB MissionParkACPostelRoseGarden3 20150916 (23410703926).jpg|right|thumb|The A.C. Postel Memorial Rose Garden in [[Mission Park, Santa Barbara|Mission Historical Park]]]]
Santa Barbara has many parks, ranging from small spaces within the urban environment to large, semi-wilderness areas that remain within the city limits. Some notable parks within the city limits are as follows:
* [[Alameda Park]]
* [[Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden]]
* [[Andree Clark Bird Refuge]]
* Butterfly Beach
* [[De La Guerra Plaza]]
* [[Douglas Family Preserve]]
* [[East Beach (Santa Barbara)|East Beach]]
* [[Elings Park]]
* [[Franceschi Park]]
* [[Hendry's Beach]] (Arroyo Burro)
* Hilda Ray Park
* [[Leadbetter Beach]]
* [[Mission Park, Santa Barbara|Mission Historical Park]]
* [[Parma Park]]
* [[Shoreline Park, Santa Barbara|Shoreline Park]]
* [[Skofield Park]]
* [[West Beach (Santa Barbara)|West Beach]]

Some notable parks and open spaces just outside the city limits include:
* [[Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park, California|Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park]]
* [[Gould Park]]
* [[Rattlesnake Canyon (Santa Barbara)|Rattlesnake Canyon]], a popular hiking area.
* [[Santa Barbara Botanic Garden]], which contains a diverse collection of plants from around California; it is in [[Mission Canyon, California|Mission Canyon]], directly north of the city.
* [[Goleta Beach]], BBQ grills, picnic tables, playground

In addition to these parks, there are other hiking trails in Santa Barbara. A 6–7 mile hike from Gaviota State Park traverses the mountains with an ocean view.<ref>[http://www.independent.com/news/2012/sep/11/gaviota-peak-dayhike/ Gaviota Peak Dayhike] (September 11, 2012) ''[[Santa Barbara Independent]]''</ref>

==Government==
In 2015, the city council voted to change from at-large elections to district elections for city council seats.<ref>Orozco, Lance (March 31, 2015) [http://www.kclu.org/2015/03/31/santa-barbara-city-council-council-chooses-map-for-move-from-at-large-to-district-city-council-seats/ "Santa Barbara City Council Council Takes Final Key Step To End Dispute Over Municipal Elections Process"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409073736/http://www.kclu.org/2015/03/31/santa-barbara-city-council-council-chooses-map-for-move-from-at-large-to-district-city-council-seats/ |date=April 9, 2015 }} ''[[KCLU (AM)|KCLU Local News]]''</ref>

All of Santa Barbara County falls into [[California's 24th congressional district]]. The district leans towards the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], with a [[Cook Partisan Voting Index|PVI]] of D+10,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cookpolitical.com/file/2013-04-49.pdf|title=Partisan Voting Index: Districts of the 113th Congress|publisher=[[Cook Political Report]]|access-date=April 19, 2015|archive-date=June 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170617193745/http://cookpolitical.com/file/2013-04-49.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> making it politically aligned with the rest of California overall. The current Representative is [[Salud Carbajal]].

==Education==

===Colleges and universities===
[[File:UCSB University Center and Storke Tower.jpg|right|thumb|University of California, Santa Barbara. It is located to the west of the city and is a major contributor to the city and its demographic makeup.]]
Santa Barbara and the immediately adjacent area is home to several colleges and universities:

====Research university====
* [[University of California, Santa Barbara]]

====Liberal arts colleges====
* [[Westmont College]]
* [[Antioch University]]

====Community college====
* [[Santa Barbara City College]]

====Trade schools====
* [[Santa Barbara Business College]]

====Conservatory====
* [[Music Academy of the West]]

====Non-research graduate schools====
* [[Pacifica Graduate Institute]]
* [[Fielding Graduate University]]
* Santa Barbara Graduate Institute
* [[Southern California Institute of Law]]
* [[Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law]]

===High schools===
[[Secondary school|Secondary]] and [[Middle school (United States)|junior high]] school students in Santa Barbara are served by the [[Santa Barbara Unified School District]] (SBUSD), which at its eastern extent encompasses all of Montecito and stretches along the coast to its westernmost point at [[El Capitán State Beach]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=School & District Boundary Maps – Santa Barbara Unified School District |url=https://www.sbunified.org/schools/school-district-boundary-maps |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.sbunified.org |language=en-US}}</ref> Founded in 1875, Santa Barbara High School is the oldest secondary school in the county and served as the region's sole flagship high school until growing enrollment in the 1950's and 1960's led to the establishment of additional high schools.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Our History – Santa Barbara Unified School District |url=https://www.sbunified.org/about/district-historical-timeline |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.sbunified.org |language=en-US}}</ref> The following table details the district's five current high schools.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!High Schools in the Santa Barbara Unified School District
!Grades
!Enrollment '23–'24
!Founding Date
!Notes
|-
|Alta Vista Alternative High School
|9–12
|134<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=School/District Profile Search Results (CA Dept of Education) |url=https://www.cde.ca.gov/sdprofile/default.aspx?dcode=4276786 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.cde.ca.gov}}</ref>
|2009<ref>{{Cite web |title=School Accountability Report Card |url=https://sarconline.org/public/print/42767860120402/2022-2023?guid=f448ecf9-56d3-4547-8848-e41d8038230f |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=sarconline.org}}</ref>
|
|-
|[[Dos Pueblos High School]]
|9–12
|2075
|1966<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dos Pueblos Senior High School 2024–2025 School Profile |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tnsPMhdReTqGUA2tntQGnyWNrFW-Eybp/view |access-date=March 18, 2025 |website=Dos Pueblos High School |archive-date=March 18, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250318175456/https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tnsPMhdReTqGUA2tntQGnyWNrFW-Eybp/view |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>
|
|-
|La Cuesta Continuation High School
|9–12
|103
|1966<ref>{{Cite web |title=La Cuesta – La Cuesta Continuation High School |url=https://alted.sbunified.org/la-cuesta |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=alted.sbunified.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
|
|-
|[[San Marcos High School (Santa Barbara, California)|San Marcos High School]]
|9–12
|1943
|1958<ref>{{Cite web |title=About – San Marcos High School |url=https://sanmarcos.sbunified.org/about#:~:text=San%20Marcos%20High%20School%20is,School%20in%201994%20and%202005. |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=sanmarcos.sbunified.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
|
|-
|[[Santa Barbara High School]]
|9–12
|2046
|1875
|
|}

==== Junior high/middle schools ====
The following table details the four junior high schools of SBUSD.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Junior High Schools in the Santa Barbara Unified School District
!Grades
!Enrollment '23–'24
!Founding Date
!Notes
|-
|[[Goleta Valley Junior High School]]
|7–8
|                                736<ref name=":2" />
|1964<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=History – Goleta Valley Junior High School |url=https://gvjh.sbunified.org/about-us/history#:~:text=Like%20much%20of%20Southern%20California,Junior%20High%20School%20in%201964. |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=gvjh.sbunified.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
|
|-
|La Colina Junior High School
|7–8
|                                893
|1958<ref name=":3" />
|
|-
|La Cumbre Junior High School
|7–8
|                                450
|1927<ref>{{Cite web |title=School History – La Cumbre Junior High School |url=https://lacumbre.sbunified.org/about-us/school-history |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=lacumbre.sbunified.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
|
|-
|[[Santa Barbara Junior High School]]
|7–8
|                                502
|1924<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our History – Santa Barbara Junior High School |url=https://sbjh.sbunified.org/about-us/our-history |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=sbjh.sbunified.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
|
|}

==== Primary schools ====
Primary school students from [[Transitional kindergarten|TK]] – 6 grades are served by the Santa Barbara Unified School District as well as four other separately organized elementary school districts in and immediately adjacent to Santa Barbara, including the [[Hope Elementary School District]], Cold Spring Elementary School District, Montecito Union Elementary School District, and [[Goleta Union School District|Goleta Union Elementary School District]]. Both Cold Spring and Montecito Union school districts oversee just a single elementary school respectively. The following table details all five elementary school district schools, as all feed into SBUSD.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Elementary  School
!Elementary School District
!Grades
!Enrollment '23–'24
!Founding Date
!Notes
|-
|Adams Elementary School
|Santa Barbara Unified
|TK – 6
|                              491<ref name=":2" />
|1954<ref>{{Cite web |title=History – Adams Elementary School |url=https://adams.sbunified.org/about-us/history |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=adams.sbunified.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
|
|-
|Adelante Charter School
|Santa Barbara Unified
|TK – 6
|                              306
|2010
|
|-
|Cleveland Elementary School
|Santa Barbara Unified
|TK – 6
|253
|1959
|
|-
|Franklin Elementary School
|Santa Barbara Unified
|TK – 6
|436
|1899<ref name=":1" />
|
|-
|Harding University Partnership School
|Santa Barbara Unified
|TK – 6
|378
|1927<ref name=":1" />
|Certified as an [[International Baccalaureate Programme]] since 2012<ref>{{Cite web |title=Harding University Partnership School {{!}} The Gevirtz School (GGSE) – UC Santa Barbara |url=https://education.ucsb.edu/impact-alumni/harding-university-partnership-school |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=education.ucsb.edu}}</ref>
|-
|McKinley Elementary School
|Santa Barbara Unified
|TK – 6
|264
|1906<ref name=":1" />
|Current building designed by Winsor Soule & John Frederic Murphy Architects and completed in 1931.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=The Architect and Engineer, October 1937 Issue |url=https://usmodernist.org/AECA/AECA-1937-10-1938-03.pdf |access-date=March 26, 2025}}</ref> Designated a City of Santa Barbara historic landmark in 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 10, 2020 |title=City of Santa Barbara Designated Landmarks as of November 10, 2020 |url=https://santabarbaraca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Services/Lists/List%20of%20Designated%20City%20Landmarks.pdf |access-date=March 26, 2025}}</ref>
|-
|Monroe Elementary School
|Santa Barbara Unified
|TK – 6
|321
|1958
|
|-
|Peabody Charter School
|Santa Barbara Unified
|TK – 6
|776
|1928<ref name=":1" />
|
|-
|Roosevelt Elementary School
|Santa Barbara Unified
|TK – 6
|477
|1923
|
|-
|Santa Barbara Charter School
|Santa Barbara Unified
|TK – 6
|290
|1993
|
|-
|Santa Barbara Community Academy
|Santa Barbara Unified
|TK – 6
|202
|1999
|
|-
|Washington Elementary School
|Santa Barbara Unified
|TK – 6
|486
|1953
|
|-
|Hope Elementary School
|Hope
|K – 6
|282<ref>{{Cite web |title=School/District Profile Search Results (CA Dept of Education) |url=https://www.cde.ca.gov/sdprofile/default.aspx?dcode=4269211 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.cde.ca.gov}}</ref>
|1891
|Closed in 1977 due to declining enrollment. Reopened in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our School – Hope Elementary School District |url=https://www.hopeschooldistrict.org/en-US/our-school-93e65c84 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=Our School – Hope Elementary School District |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|Monte Vista Elementary School
|Hope
|TK – 6
|283
|1966
|
|-
|Vieja Valley Elementary School
|Hope
|TK – 6
|306
|1961
|
|-
|Cold Spring Elementary School
|Cold Spring
|TK – 6
|189<ref>{{Cite web |title=School Profile: Cold Spring Elementary (CA Dept of Education) |url=https://www.cde.ca.gov/sdprofile/details.aspx?cds=42691616045348 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.cde.ca.gov}}</ref>
|1894<ref>{{Cite web |title=Client Challenge |url=https://www.coldspringschool.net/page/district |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.coldspringschool.net}}</ref>
|
|-
|Montecito Union Elementary School
|Montecito Union
|TK – 6
|353<ref>{{Cite web |title=School Profile: Montecito Union (CA Dept of Education) |url=https://www.cde.ca.gov/sdprofile/details.aspx?cds=42692526045728 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.cde.ca.gov}}</ref>
|1859
|Founding date based on City of Santa Barbara grant for first one-room schoolhouse.<ref>{{Cite web |last=District |first=Montecito Union School |title=Montecito Union School District |url=https://www.montecitou.org/211011_2 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.montecitou.org |language=English}}</ref>
|-
|Brandon Elementary School
|Goleta Union
|TK – 6
|443<ref>{{Cite web |title=School/District Profile Search Results (CA Dept of Education) |url=https://www.cde.ca.gov/sdprofile/default.aspx?dcode=4269195 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.cde.ca.gov}}</ref>
|1969
|Closed in 1982 due to declining enrollment. Reopened in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About – Brandon Elementary |url=https://www.gusd.us/brandon/about |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.gusd.us |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|El Camino Elementary School
|Goleta Union
|TK – 6
|325
|1965
|
|-
|Ellwood Elementary School
|Goleta Union
|TK – 6
|327
|1929
|
|-
|Foothill Elementary School
|Goleta Union
|TK – 6
|397
|1965
|
|-
|Hollister Elementary School
|Goleta Union
|TK – 6
|346
|1962
|
|-
|Isla Vista Elementary School
|Goleta Union
|TK – 6
|433
|1959
|
|-
|Kellogg Elementary School
|Goleta Union
|TK – 6
|395
|1963
|
|-
|La Patera Elementary School
|Goleta Union
|TK – 6
|386
|1963
|
|-
|Mountain View Elementary School
|Goleta Union
|TK – 6
|356
|1966
|
|}

==== Private schools ====
There are a variety of private schools in and immediately adjacent to Santa Barbara, serving primary and secondary school students, including:
* [[Anacapa School]], 7–12 grades
* [[Bishop García Diego High School|Bishop Garcia Diego High School]], 9–12 grades
* [[Cate School]], 9–12 grades
* [[Laguna Blanca School]], K–12 grades
* Providence School, K–12 grades
* Crane Country Day School, K–8 grades
* Waldorf School of Santa Barbara, K–8 grades
* Montessori Center School, K–6 grades

==Media==
===Newspapers===
The [[Santa Barbara Independent]] is Santa Barbara's only adjudicated, general circulation newspaper. It publishes a print edition weekly on Thursdays and claims an audited print readership of 68,000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Advertise |url=https://www.independent.com/advertise/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=The Santa Barbara Independent |language=en-US}}</ref> It also publishes as an online daily.

The ''[[Santa Barbara News-Press]],'' a historic former daily which traced its founding to 1868, filed for bankruptcy on July 21, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yamamura |first=Jean |date=2023-07-23 |title='Santa Barbara News-Press' Files for Bankruptcy |url=https://www.independent.com/2023/07/23/santa-barbara-news-press-files-for-bankruptcy/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=The Santa Barbara Independent |language=en-US}}</ref> The closure followed nearly two decades of internal turmoil and steeply declining local readership precipitated by the 2006 "[[Santa Barbara News-Press controversy|News-Press Mess]]" under the ownership of [[Wendy McCaw]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Welsh |first=Nick |date=2023-08-17 |title=Death of a Daily |url=https://www.independent.com/2023/08/16/death-of-a-daily/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=The Santa Barbara Independent |language=en-US}}</ref> The controversy received national attention and became the subject of the 2008 documentary, "Citizen McCaw".<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Farhi |first1=Paul |last2=Lamothe |first2=Dan |last3=Birnbaum |first3=Michael |last4=Fowler |first4=Geoffrey A. |last5=Frankel |first5=Todd |last6=Natanson |first6=Hannah |last7=Bump |first7=Philip |last8=Voght |first8=Kara |date=2023-08-03 |title=She paid a fortune for her town's paper. Years of turmoil followed. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2023/08/03/wendy-mccaw-santa-barbara-news-press/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Tyler |first=Sam |title=Citizen McCaw |date=2009-04-13 |type=Documentary |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1398971/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |others=Travis Armstrong, Ann Louise Bardach, Barney Brantingham |publisher=SB Docs}}</ref> As of January, 2025 a nonprofit overseen by the [[Arizona State University]] Media Enterprise had acquired rights to the News-Press and announced intention to revive the paper.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yamamura |first=Jean |date=2025-01-23 |title=The 'Santa Barbara News-Press' to Rise from the Grave |url=https://www.independent.com/2025/01/23/the-santa-barbara-news-press-to-rise-from-the-grave/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=The Santa Barbara Independent |language=en-US}}</ref>

Santa Barbara is also served by two online-only news outlets: 
* ''[[Edhat]]'', a privately owned community news site founded in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Edhat About — Santa Barbara's Community Hub |url=https://www.edhat.com/about-edhat/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=edhat |language=en-US}}</ref>
* ''[[Noozhawk]]'', an online news site founded in 2007

In addition, the business journal ''[[Pacific Coast Business Times]]'' covers Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-08-24 |title=About the Pacific Coast Business Times {{!}} Pacific Coast Business Times |url=https://www.pacbiztimes.com/contact-us/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.pacbiztimes.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Television ===
The following TV stations broadcast in the Santa Barbara market area:
* [[KEYT-TV|KEYT]] 3, an [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]/[[Columbia Broadcasting System|CBS]]/[[MyNetworkTV|MNTV]] television affiliate;
* [[KSBY|K10PV-D]] 10, an [[National Broadcasting Company|NBC]] television affiliate; repeater of [[KSBY]] 6, broadcast from [[San Luis Obispo, California|San Luis Obispo]]
* [[KCOY]] 12, a [[Telemundo]] television affiliate; broadcast from [[Santa Maria, California|Santa Maria]]
* [[KKFX-CD|KSBB-CD]] 17, a [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]] television affiliate; license to Santa Barbara studios broadcast from [[KCOY]] in Santa Maria. Repeater of [[KKFX-CD|KKFX]] 24 [[San Luis Obispo, California|San Luis Obispo]]. Also seen on cable channel 11.  
* [[KCET|K26FT-D]] 26, a repeater for the secondary [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] [[Public Broadcasting System|PBS]] member station [[KCET]] 
* [[KTAS]] 33, a [[Diya TV]] affiliate; broadcast from [[San Luis Obispo, California|San Luis Obispo]]
* [[KPMR]] 38, a [[Univision]] affiliate
* [[KOCE-TV|KBAB-LD]] 50, a rebroadcast of the primary [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] [[Public Broadcasting System|PBS]] member station [[KOCE-TV|KOCE]] (licensed to [[Huntington Beach, California|Huntington Beach]])
* TV Santa Barbara; Voice-17 ([[Public-access television]]) and Culture-71 Arts & Education (formerly owned by [[Cox Communications]]).

===Radio===
* [[KTMS]] (990 AM) News/Talk
* [[KZER]] (1250 AM) [[Regional Mexican]]
* [[KZSB]] (1290 AM) News/Talk
* [[KCLU (AM)|KCLU]] (1340 AM) [[NPR]]"NPR for the California Coast" Rebroadcast of [[KCLU-FM]] [[Thousand Oaks, California|Thousand Oaks]]
* [[KOSJ]] (1490 AM) [[Rhythmic Oldies]]
* [[KDRW]] (88.7 FM) [[NPR]] Rebroadcast [[KCRW]] 89.9 [[Santa Monica, California|Santa Monica]]
* [[KCBX|KSBX]] (89.5 FM) [[NPR]] Rebroadcast [[KCBX]] 90.1 FM [[San Luis Obispo, California|San Luis Obispo]]
* [[KMRO]] (90.3 FM) [[Spanish language|Spanish]] [[Christian radio|Christian]] [[Radio Nueva Vida]]
* [[KCSB]] (91.9 FM) (Freeform) [[University of California at Santa Barbara|UCSB]]
* [[KJEE]] (92.9 FM) [[Alternative rock|Alternative]]
* [[KDB (FM)|KDB]] (93.7 FM) [[Classical Music|Classical]] (Rebroadcast of [[KUSC]] 91.5 FM [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]])
* [[KSPE]] (94.5 FM) [[Regional Mexican]]
* [[KLOS]] (95.5 FM) [[Classic Rock]] broadcasting from [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]]
* [[KLSB]] (97.5 FM) [[Contemporary Christian Music|Contemporary Christian]] [[K-LOVE]]
* [[KDAR]] (98.3 FM) [[Christian radio|Christian]] broadcasting from [[Oxnard, California|Oxnard]]
* [[KTYD]] (99.9 FM) [[Classic rock|Classic Rock]]
* [[KHAY]] (100.7 FM) [[Country music|Country]] broadcasting from [[Ventura, California|Ventura]]
* [[KSBL]] (101.7 FM) [[Adult Contemporary]] which markets itself as KLITE and is owned by Rincon Broadcasting.
* [[KRUZ (FM)|KRUZ]] (103.3 FM) [[Classic Hits]], formerly [[Rhythmic contemporary|CHR-Rhythmic]] station KVYB. It broadcasts from La Cumbre Peak at an altitude of {{convert|3000|ft|m}} and can be heard in San Diego despite a distance of {{convert|200|mi|km}} because it propagates across the ocean. 
* [[KRAZ]] (105.9 FM) [[Country music|Country]]
* [[KIST-FM|KIST]] (107.7 FM) [[Regional Mexican]]

Some Los Angeles radio stations can be heard, although somewhat faintly due to the {{convert|85|mi|km|-1|adj=on}} distance. Santa Monica-based [[NPR]] radio station [[KCRW]] can be heard in Santa Barbara at 106.9&nbsp;MHz, and San Luis Obispo-based NPR station [[KCBX]] at 89.5 FM and 90.9 FM. The [[California Lutheran University]]-operated NPR station KCLU (102.3 FM, 1340 AM), based in [[Thousand Oaks, California|Thousand Oaks]] in [[Ventura County, California|Ventura County]], also serves Santa Barbara and has reporters covering the city. The only non-commercial radio station based in Santa Barbara is [[KCSB-FM]] (91.9 FM), owned by the [[University of California, Santa Barbara]], which uses it as part of its educational mission.

==Transportation==
[[File:Santa Barbara train station, California, 7 March 2007.jpg|thumb|right|[[Santa Barbara station]], built in 1902 by the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]] in the [[Mission Revival Style architecture|Spanish Mission Revival style]]]]

Santa Barbara is bisected by [[U.S. Route 101]], an automotive transportation corridor that links the city to the rest of the Central Coast region, [[San Francisco]] to the north, and [[Los Angeles]] to the southeast. [[Santa Barbara Municipal Airport]] offers commercial air service. Santa Barbara Aviation provides locally based private jet charter aircraft. [[Amtrak]] offers rail service through the ''[[Coast Starlight]]'' and ''[[Pacific Surfliner]]'' trains at the [[Santa Barbara station]] on State Street, and another stop at [[Goleta station|Goleta Station]].

The [[Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District]] (MTD) provides local bus service across the city. [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]] bus lines provide service to downtown Santa Barbara. Electric shuttles operated by MTD ferry tourists and shoppers up and down lower State Street and to the wharf. The Clean Air Express bus offers connections to Lompoc and Santa Maria. [[Ventura Intercity Service Transit Authority]] (VISTA) bus service offers connections south to Ventura and west to Goleta. Santa Barbara Airbus offers daily service to/from [[Los Angeles International Airport|LAX]] from downtown Santa Barbara, [[Carpinteria, California|Carpinteria]] and [[Goleta, California|Goleta]].

Santa Barbara has an extensive network of bike trails and other resources for cyclists,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Traffic Solutions – To provide a countywide transportation demand management (TDM) program |url=http://www.trafficsolutions.org/ |access-date=March 11, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref> and the [[League of American Bicyclists]] recognizes Santa Barbara as a Silver Level city. Santa Barbara Car Free promotes visiting and exploring the area without use of a car.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 16, 2020 |title=Santa Barbara Car Free |url=https://www.santabarbaracarfree.org/ |access-date=March 11, 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=April 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401031525/https://www.santabarbaracarfree.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Often chosen as a winter training location for professional cycling teams and [[snowbird (person)|snowbirds]], Santa Barbara has cycling routes and several climbs, including Gibraltar Road and Old San Marcos/Painted Cave. A bike path and route connects the University of California, Santa Barbara to the downtown area, passing through Goleta and Hope Ranch. Bike rentals are a way for tourists to view Santa Barbara and the surrounding area. In 2009, the Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta metropolitan statistical area (MSA) ranked as the sixth highest in the United States for percentage of commuters who biked to work (4 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/acs-15.pdf|series=American Community Survey Reports|title=Commuting in the United States: 2009|access-date=December 26, 2017|date=September 2011|archive-date=July 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170726134351/https://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/acs-15.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

From 1875 until 1929, a [[Streetcars in Santa Barbara, California|streetcar network]] existed in Santa Barbara.<ref>Santa Barbara's Street Railway ''[[Pacific RailNews]]'' issue 259 June 1985 pages 18–20</ref>

==Sister cities==
Santa Barbara's sister cities are:<ref>{{cite web|title=Sister Cities |url=https://santabarbaraca.gov/sister-cities-board/sister-cities |access-date=May 17, 2025 |publisher=City of Santa Barbara}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ялта и Грозный стали городами-побратимами |url=https://www.crimea.kp.ru/online/news/3570885/ |website=crimea.kp.ru |language=ru |date=13 August 2019 |access-date=2 April 2020}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|PER}} [[Miraflores District, Lima|Miraflores]], [[Lima]], Peru (2023)
*{{flagicon|MNE}} [[Kotor]], [[Kotor Municipality]], Montenegro (2009)
*{{flagicon|GRC}} [[Patras]], [[Western Greece]], Greece (2010)
*{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Puerto Vallarta]], [[Jalisco]], Mexico (1973)
*{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toba, Mie|Toba]], [[Mie Prefecture|Mie]], Japan (1966)
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Weihai]], [[Shandong]], China (1993)
*{{flagicon|UKR}}{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Yalta]], [[Crimea]]
{{div col end}}

==In popular culture==

Several films have been fully or partially set in Santa Barbara, including:

* ''[[What Price Hollywood?]]'', a 1932 [[pre-Code Hollywood]] drama
* ''[[Steal Big Steal Little]]'', a 1995 American comedy<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Woodard |first1=Josef |date=January 15, 2020 |title=SBIFF: Andrew Davis Interviewed |url=https://www.independent.com/2020/01/14/sbiff-andrew-davis-interviewed/ |access-date=November 8, 2022 |website=The Santa Barbara Independent |language=en-US |archive-date=November 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108013038/https://www.independent.com/2020/01/14/sbiff-andrew-davis-interviewed/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* ''[[A Date with Judy (film)|A Date with Judy]]'', a 1948 [[MGM]] musical film
* ''[[The Graduate]]'', a 1967 American romantic comedy-drama 
* ''[[The Gumball Rally]]'', a 1976 American comedy
* ''[[Cutter's Way]]'', a 1981 American [[neo-noir]] thriller
* ''[[Demolition Man (film)|Demolition Man]]'', a 1993 American science fiction action film
* ''[[My Favorite Martian (film)|My Favorite Martian]]'', a 1999 American science fiction comedy film, which was filmed on location<ref>{{cite web|title= City Film Permits|url=https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/waterfront/rates/film.asp|access-date=February 20, 2021|website=Santa Barbara |date=August 20, 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201184212/https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/waterfront/rates/film.asp |archive-date= December 1, 2020 }}</ref> 
* ''[[Cruel Intentions 3]]'', a 2004 direct-to-video teen drama film
* ''[[Alpha Dog]]'', 2006, an American crime drama based on the true story of the kidnapping and murder of [[Murder of Nicholas Markowitz|Nicholas Markowitz]] at the hands of [[Jesse James Hollywood]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 21, 2009 |title=Hollywood's Day in Court |url=https://www.independent.com/2009/05/21/hollywoods-day-court/ |first1=Amy |last1=Silverstein |first2=Chris |last2=Meagher |access-date=November 8, 2022 |website=The Santa Barbara Independent |language=en-US |archive-date=April 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413134126/http://www.independent.com/news/2009/may/21/hollywoods-day-court/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* ''[[It's Complicated (film)|It's Complicated]]'', a 2009 American romantic comedy
* ''[[Santa Barbara (film)|Santa Barbara]]'', a 2014 South Korean romance
* ''[[20th Century Women]]'', a 2016 American comedy-drama 
* ''[[Psych 2: Lassie Come Home]]'', a 2020 American made-for-television comedy

''[[Psych]]'' was set in Santa Barbara, though [[White Rock, British Columbia|White Rock]], British Columbia, Canada, was used as the filming location.<ref>{{cite web|title=Psych (TV Series 2006–2014) – Filming & production |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0491738/locations|work= IMDb |access-date=July 5, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129132723/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0491738/locations |archive-date= November 29, 2010 }}</ref>

''[[Santa Barbara (TV series)|Santa Barbara]],'' the popular soap opera set locally, aired on NBC from 1984 to 1993.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hopkins |first=Valerie |date=December 7, 2021 |title=From Soap Opera to Art: Why a Moscow Museum Is Re-Enacting 'Santa Barbara' |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/arts/design/santa-barbara-ges-2-moscow-ragnar-kjartansson.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=November 8, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=November 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108013037/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/arts/design/santa-barbara-ges-2-moscow-ragnar-kjartansson.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The TV series ''[[Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law]]'' was set in Santa Barbara.

''[[An American Family]]'', which is known as the first American reality television show, chronicled the daily lives of a family living in Santa Barbara.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Craig Gilbert, creator of 'An American Family,' called the first reality TV show, dies at 94 |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/craig-gilbert-creator-of-an-american-family-called-the-first-reality-tv-show-dies-at-94/2020/04/18/ea66b34c-7e4e-11ea-9040-68981f488eed_story.html |access-date=November 8, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

A portion of the 2020 video game ''[[The Last of Us II|The Last of Us Part II]]'' takes place in Santa Barbara.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Last of Us 2 Walkthrough Chapter 10: Santa Barbara – The Resort|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/the-last-of-us-2-walkthrough-chapter-10-santa-barbara-the-resort|work=ign.com|date=June 19, 2020 |access-date=January 2, 2021}}</ref>

In 2022, shooting began on season 4 of the reality TV series ''[[Love Island (American season 4)|Love Island]],'' which is set at Dos Pueblos Ranch, a 214-acre ranch west of [[Goleta, California|Goleta]].

Santa Barbara appears multiple times in the American animated series [[BoJack Horseman]].

==Notable people ==
{{main|List of people from Santa Barbara, California}}

==See also==
{{Portal|California}}
* [[City of Santa Barbara Historic Landmarks]]
* [[List of mayors of Santa Barbara, California]]
* [[Santa Barbara City Fire Department]]
* [[USNS Mission Santa Barbara (T-AO-131)|USNS ''Mission Santa Barbara'' (T-AO-131)]]
* [[USS Santa Barbara|USS ''Santa Barbara'']]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|25em}}

==Further reading==
* Birchard, Robert S. ''Silent-Era Filmmaking in Santa Barbara.'' Arcadia Publishing. 2007. {{ISBN|0-7385-4730-1}}
* Graham, Otis L.; Bauman, Robert; Dodd, Douglas W.; Geraci, Victor W.; Murray, Fermina Brel. ''Stearns Wharf: Surviving Change on the California Coast.'' reGraduate Program in Public Historical Studies, University of California, 1994. {{ISBN|1-883535-15-8}}
* Tompkins, Walker A. ''Santa Barbara, Past and Present''. Tecolote Books, Santa Barbara, CA, 1975.
* Tompkins, Walker A. ''It Happened in Old Santa Barbara.'' Sandollar Press, Santa Barbara, CA, 1976.
* Tompkins, Walker A. ''Santa Barbara History Makers''. McNally & Loftin, Santa Barbara. 1983. {{ISBN|0-87461-059-1}}

==External links==
{{Commons and category|Santa Barbara, California}}
{{Wikivoyage|Santa Barbara}}
{{Collier's poster|Santa Barbara}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Santa-Barbara-California.html Santa Barbara] on city-data.com
* [http://www.santabarbaraca.com/ Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission]
* [http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/cityadmin/watch/default.asp City of Santa Barbara TV Live Stream]
* [http://noehill.com/santabarbara/default.aspx?content=National&sequence=year National Register of Historic Places listings]
* "[http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf8p3009t9/ Santa Barbara Views, ca. 1875]", [[The Bancroft Library]]
* {{cite web|title=Santa Barbara|url=https://www.c-span.org/series/?citiesTour&city=875|publisher=[[C-SPAN]] Cities Tour|date=February 2016}}
{{Geographic location
| Center    = Santa Barbara
| North     = [[Mission Canyon, California|Mission Canyon]]
| Northeast = 
| East      = [[Montecito, California|Montecito]]
| Southeast =  [[Pacific Ocean]]
| South     = [[Pacific Ocean]], [[Channel Islands (California)|Channel Islands]]
| Southwest = [[Pacific Ocean]]
| West      =[[Hope Ranch, California|Hope Ranch]]
| Northwest = 
}}
{{Santa Barbara County, California}}
{{California Central Coast}}
{{California county seats}}
{{California}}
{{Southern California megaregion}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Santa Barbara, California| ]]
[[Category:1850 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Cities in Santa Barbara County, California]]
[[Category:County seats in California]]
[[Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in California]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1850]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in California]]
[[Category:Spanish mission settlements in North America]]