Who moves to Santa Maria, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Santa Barbara County, CA, home of Santa Maria, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- 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
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 1,474 |
| San Luis Obispo County, CA | 1,244 |
| Ventura County, CA (Oxnard) | 953 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 421 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 374 |
| Kern County, CA (Bakersfield) | 246 |
| Riverside County, CA (Riverside) | 239 |
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 216 |
| Alameda County, CA (Oakland) | 190 |
| San Bernardino County, CA (San Bernardino) | 180 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 178 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 175 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo County, CA | 1,471 |
| Ventura County, CA (Oxnard) | 1,350 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 1,295 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 638 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 391 |
| Kern County, CA (Bakersfield) | 357 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 286 |
| Riverside County, CA (Riverside) | 272 |
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 258 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 239 |
| Fresno County, CA (Fresno) | 204 |
| Sacramento County, CA (Sacramento) | 200 |
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:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 1,474 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 421 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 374 |
| Riverside County, CA (Riverside) | 239 |
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 216 |
| Alameda County, CA (Oakland) | 190 |
| San Bernardino County, CA (San Bernardino) | 180 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 178 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 1,295 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 638 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 391 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 286 |
| Riverside County, CA (Riverside) | 272 |
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 258 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 239 |
| Fresno County, CA (Fresno) | 204 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Santa Maria 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 Maria 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 Maria 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 Maria with any city it trades people with, like Santa Maria vs Los Angeles, Santa Maria vs San Diego, Santa Maria vs Anaheim, Santa Maria 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 Maria.