Is Santa Barbara County, CA good for real estate investing?

Santa Barbara County has an investment score of 37/100, rated as "Avoid". The county ranks #730 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Santa Barbara?

The rent-to-price ratio in Santa Barbara County is 4.15% annually, which ranks in the 9th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Santa Barbara?

The median home price in Santa Barbara County is $970,789. This ranks #991 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Santa Barbara?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Santa Barbara County would generate negative cash flow of $2,906/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Santa Barbara County

CaliforniaPopulation: 445,213Santa Maria, CA Metro

/100

Avoid

#730 of 1,000 counties

#35 in California (58 counties)

Market Snapshot

$970,789

Median Home Price

316% above national median

$3,359/mo

Median Rent

122% above national median

4.15%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 91% nationally

-$2,906

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$970,789

Down Payment (20%)$194,158

Loan Amount$776,631

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$3,359

Monthly P&I-$5,089

Est. Expenses (35%)-$1,176

Net Cash Flow-$2,906/mo

2.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-15.6%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.15%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.7% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

37/100

Cash Flow(30%)

32/100

Based on 4.15% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

53/100

Based on 0.3% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

9/100

Price-to-income ratio of 10.5x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (4.15%)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$2,906/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 2.7% < mortgage rate 6.9%)
-High price-to-income ratio makes financing challenging

Economic Indicators

Population

445,213

Median Income

$92,332

vs $57,018 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

10.5x

Less affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
CurrentSanta BarbaraCA	37	$970,789	$3,359	4.15%	Avoid
Contra CostaCA	37	$765,618	$2,790	4.37%	Avoid	View
San FranciscoCA	37	$1,245,307	$3,680	3.55%	Avoid	View
TrinityCA	36	$245,830	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
VenturaCA	36	$859,803	$2,941	4.11%	Avoid	View
SonomaCA	35	$769,171	$2,612	4.08%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

AvoidSanta Barbara may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Santa Barbara County in California scores 37/100, ranking #730 of 1,000 US counties (top 97%). The 4.15% rent-to-price ratio may require creative strategies or below-market purchases for positive cash flow. Current market conditions make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or all-cash purchases.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-2,906/mo

Cap Rate

2.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-15.6%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Santa Barbara?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

Single Family1-4 unit rentals, BRRRR House HackOwner-occupied strategy Multifamily5+ unit properties

Explore Other Markets

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$970,789

Down Payment (20%)$194,158

Loan Amount$776,631

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$3,359

Monthly P&I-$5,089

Est. Expenses (35%)-$1,176

Net Cash Flow-$2,906/mo

2.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-15.6%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.15%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.7% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

37/100

Cash Flow(30%)

32/100

Based on 4.15% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

53/100

Based on 0.3% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

9/100

Price-to-income ratio of 10.5x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
CurrentSanta BarbaraCA	37	$970,789	$3,359	4.15%	Avoid
Contra CostaCA	37	$765,618	$2,790	4.37%	Avoid	View
San FranciscoCA	37	$1,245,307	$3,680	3.55%	Avoid	View
TrinityCA	36	$245,830	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
VenturaCA	36	$859,803	$2,941	4.11%	Avoid	View
SonomaCA	35	$769,171	$2,612	4.08%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

AvoidSanta Barbara may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-2,906/mo

Cap Rate

2.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-15.6%