Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$988,948+4.3% YoY · prices are rising fast
Market right nowBalanced, leaning sellersMore homes for sale than last year, 17% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$214,383About 2.3× the local median income ($94,572): hard to afford
Days on market58 daysFaster than a year ago: sellers have the edge
Next 12 months+1.9%Zillow expects prices to rise slightly
The typical home in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is worth $988,948, up 4.3% from a year ago. That is well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $852,393, so the area is 16.0% overvalued. It is a balanced market, leaning toward sellers: homes take about 58 days to sell, listings are up 7% from a year ago, 17% of listings have had a price cut. Zillow expects prices to rise about 1.9% over the next year. A household needs about $214,383 a year to afford the typical home here at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $94,572. Typical rent is $3,279 a month, or $4,771 for a house. In the latest IRS figures, 3,510 more people moved out than in.
Home value over time
Solid: typical home value · dashed: fair value (household income × the 20-year average price-to-income ratio). Sources: FHFA, Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau.
Prices and affordability
Typical home value
$988,948
Change in 1 year
+4.3%
Overvalued %
+16.0%
Show 7 more
Fair home value
$852,393
Change in 5 years
+30.2%
Zillow forecast, next 12 months
+1.9%
Home value to income
10.5×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$5,360
Income needed to afford it
$214,383
Property tax rate
0.65%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$3,279
Typical rent for houses
$4,771
Price-to-rent ratio
25.1×
Show 3 more
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$3,106
Gross rental yield
3.98%
Cap rate (estimate)
2.59%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+7.3%
Days on market
58
Listings with a price cut
16.9%
Show 3 more
Homes for sale
709
Pending sales per 100 listings
33
Asking price per sq ft
$817
People and jobs
Median household income
$94,572
Population change (1 year)
−0.2%
Unemployment rate
6.4%
Show 4 more
Population
442,065
Income adjusted for cost of living
$86,923
Net moves in (IRS)
−3,510
Cost of living (US = 100)
108.8
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
4.7
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
99.0
Unhealthy air days a year
0
Show 4 more
Flood risk score
98.6
Wildfire risk score
99.2
Walkability (1 to 20)
10.8
Road, rail and air noise
54 dB
Questions people ask
Is Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA overvalued?
Home prices in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA are well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $852,393, so the area is 16.0% overvalued.
Is Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA a buyer's or seller's market?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is a balanced market, leaning toward sellers: homes take about 58 days to sell, listings are up 7% from a year ago, 17% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
Home values in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA are up 4.3% over the last year. Zillow's forecast for the next 12 months is +1.9%.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
A household needs about $214,383 a year to afford the typical home in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $94,572.