Santa Barbara

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Santa Barbara, CA

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From mountain to ocean

Coastal Nautical Artistic Luxurious

With the mountains of Los Padres National Forest on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other, it isn’t hard to see the natural beauty of Santa Barbara. Known as the American Riviera because of its Mediterranean climate and sandy shores, Santa Barbara boasts easy access to wine country and a host of celebrity residents.

Amongst the Spanish red tiles present in Santa Barbara are a number of cultural and educational amenities. Should you decide to rent in Santa Barbara, you’ll be able to catch a performance at the Santa Barbara Bowl, spend time with all kinds of species at the Santa Barbara Zoo, stroll along the historic Stearns Wharf, sunbathe at Arroyo Burro Beach County Park, appreciate the renderings in the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, engage with the latest exhibit at MOXI the Wolf Museum of Exploration and Innovation, bask in the beauty of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, and attend the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Convenient to the Pacific Coast Highway and Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, Santa Barbara allows for simple commutes and travels.

Rent Trends

As of March 2025, the average apartment rent in Santa Barbara, CA is $1,941 for a studio, $2,201 for one bedroom, $3,223 for two bedrooms, and $4,178 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Santa Barbara has increased by 2.6% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$2,201/month
522 Sq Ft
House
$15,459/month
1,859 Sq Ft
Condo
$5,980/month
209 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Santa Barbara, CA

Transportation

82

Very Walkable

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

If you enjoy walking, you’ll enjoy renting in this area! It’s a very walkable neighborhood.

39

Some Transit

out of 100 TransitScore® Rating

You'll likely want a car when living in this area since it has few transit options.

84

Very Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

This area is very bikeable. You’ll find a variety of bike paths and lanes.

Schools

Montecito Union

Public

Grades K-6

353 Students

10
out of 10

Vieja Valley Elementary

Public

Grades K-6

300 Students

9
out of 10

Cold Spring Elementary

Public

Grades K-6

193 Students

9
out of 10

Franklin Elementary

Public

Grades K-6

441 Students

8
out of 10

Foothill Elementary

Public

Grades K-6

374 Students

8
out of 10

La Colina Junior High

Public

Grades 7-8

900 Students

8
out of 10

Santa Barbara Junior High

Public

Grades 7-8

560 Students

4
out of 10

La Cumbre Junior High

Public

Grades 7-8

458 Students

4
out of 10

Santa Barbara County Special Education School

Public

Grades K-12

58 Students

Rating Unavailable

Santa Barbara County Community

Public

Grades 5-12

9 Students

Rating Unavailable

San Marcos Senior High

Public

Grades 9-12

2,020 Students

7
out of 10

Santa Barbara Senior High

Public

Grades 9-12

2,107 Students

6
out of 10

Santa Barbara County Special Education School

Public

Grades K-12

58 Students

Rating Unavailable

Santa Barbara County Community

Public

Grades 5-12

9 Students

Rating Unavailable

Santa Barbara County ROP-South

Public

Grades 9-12

Rating Unavailable

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
  • Rocky Nook Park
  • El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park
  • Tuckers Grove County Park
  • Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Military Bases

Airports

  • Santa Barbara Municipal

Top Apartments in Santa Barbara

Houses for Rent in Santa Barbara

Property Management Companies in Santa Barbara, CA

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2025.