Who moves to Santa Barbara, and where they go

Moved in

11,761from other US counties

Moved out

15,252to other US counties

Net

−3,491more departures than arrivals

From abroad

272tax filers and dependents only

Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 7,150 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in California and 4,611 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:

Frequently asked questions

Where do people moving to Santa Barbara come from?

Most people moving into Santa Barbara County, CA come from nearby counties, led by Los Angeles County, CA (1,474 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Los Angeles County, CA.

Where do people leaving Santa Barbara move to?

The top destination is San Luis Obispo County, CA (1,471 people). Farther away, the most popular is Los Angeles County, CA.

Are more people moving to Santa Barbara or leaving?

Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 11,761 people moved into Santa Barbara County, CA from elsewhere in the US and 15,252 moved out, a net loss of 3,491 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).

Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Santa Barbara with any city it trades people with, like Santa Barbara vs Los Angeles, Santa Barbara vs San Diego, Santa Barbara vs Anaheim, Santa Barbara vs Riverside.

Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Santa Barbara.