What Are The Pros And Cons Of Living In Santa Barbara?

Say the name Santa Barbara and many things probably come to mind — sun, sand, mountains, and Spanish architecture. It is a captivating city located between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Santa Barbara is often referred to as the American Rivera for its Mediterranean-like climate.

Just 90 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara feels like a calming oasis from the noise and crowds. The rich and famous come here to relax and unwind while enjoying the beautiful beaches, great food, and fine wines.

Living in Santa Barbara has many pros like a variety of amazing scenery, Spanish influence on culture and architecture, and tons of outdoor fun. The Santa Barbara weather is perfect 24/7/365 — seriously! The educational opportunities in Santa Barbara some among the best in Southern California. On the flip side, the cons include water rationing, high cost of living, the potential for wildfires, and oily beaches with tar in the sand.

The early Spanish settlers left an indelible mark on Santa Barbara. Everywhere you look, you see spectacular Spanish architecture, adding to the city’s charm. Structures such as the Old Mission and El Presidio remain beautiful, having withstood the test of time.

You will notice most homes and other structures reflect the Spanish style with red-tiles roofs, white stucco walls, and wood beam ceilings. Spanish tile is used in many courtyards, and you will marvel at the ironwork used in fences and window covers.

The weather combined with the coastline beaches and mountains makes Santa Barbara a perfect place for those that like to stay active. There are plenty of outdoor activities to do year-round. It is estimated that no matter where you are in Santa Barbara, you have an almost 75% chance of being within half a mile of a park.

If you love to bike, there are a variety of trails in and around Santa Barbara. You can leisurely stroll the streets or beach or visit one of the more advanced trails (for serious cyclists only!). You don’t own a bike? No problem! There are also plenty of places in Santa Barbara to rent a bike if you don’t already own one.

Leadbetter Beach is one of the more popular beaches in Santa Barbara, especially among surfers. Whether you are an experienced surfer or just learning the sport, the waves and light surf at Leadbetter Beach are just right. Leadbetter is also a great beach for access to kiteboarding, paddleboarding, and windsurfing as well.

The weather doesn’t get any better than in Santa Barbara. The city has been ranked as the best place in America to live for great weather by US News & World Report.

You are almost assured about 300 sunny days a year. The hottest Santa Barbara gets is usually in August, where you will see a relatively mild average temperature of 73.7 degrees. While December has a low average temperature of 43 degrees, that is still warmer than much of California.

As for rainfall, the city averages 18.5 inches a year. The month of February gets on average 4.3 of those inches, and you may go an entire July without any precipitation. And the chances of seeing snowfall are pretty much zero, as the last Santa Barbara snowfall occurred in 1949.

Santa Barbara has some of the best higher educational opportunities in Southern California and that is saying a lot! The University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) is a research university that was ranked as one of the top 50 universities in the nation with more than 200 programs from which to choose.

But, UCSB is not the only higher ed option in Santa Barbara. You can attend Antioch University, Westmont College, Pacifica Graduate Institute, and the Fielding Graduate University. If you are thinking of a law degree, there is the Santa Barbara College of Law.

In addition, there are two liberal arts colleges, a music conservatory, and a trade school in the area. If you aren’t quite ready for a four-year college or just want to take some continuing ed classes, there is always Santa Barbara City College. Oh, by the way, it is the #1 ranked community college in the nation.

Living in a place as gorgeous as Santa Barbara does not come cheap. While the average salary of $91,000 may seem pretty good, the cost of everything in Santa Barbara is higher than in many surrounding Southern California cities. For example, US News & World Report estimates you need to work an average of 71 hours a week to pay for affordable housing.

The median home cost in Santa Barbara $1,161,300 compared to a median home cost of $516,000 in San Diego. Apartments in Santa Barbara may be preferable to purchasing a home, but it is still costly. A one-bedroom apartment can run as much as $4,000 a month.

The monthly average expenditure cost of a family of four is $4,510.75, and that does not include rent or mortgage. Even childcare in Santa Barbara can be costly. You may pay as much as $1,000 a month per child.

California is often hit with severe droughts, which can cause months and even years of water rationing. There are three stages of a drought. The city lifted Santa Barbara’s Stage 3 (the most severe stage) drought restrictions in 2019, but residents are still prohibited from water waste such as leaky valves and faucets.

The city issues a weekly percentage of water you can use for landscaping based on the weather. You will need to learn how to measure how much water trees need and how to conserve water while keeping your lawn healthy. It is a good idea to become familiar with terms like graywater, which is water used from your laundry to your landscape, to help conserve water.

Estimating how much water your household uses can become very important for your budget. Santa Barbara calculates the first 4 hundred cubic feet (HCF) of water at .00721 per gallon, which isn’t too bad. However, the next 12 HCF jumps to an average of .017 per gallon — 3 times more than the cost of the first 4 HCFs! It is not uncommon for a family to run up a water bill totaling $1,000 or more.

While the almost year-round sunshine with little rain is really enjoyable for outdoor activities, throw in drought conditions and Santa Barbara becomes a hotbed for wildfires. Like the rest of Southern California, the Santa Barbara landscape tends to be extremely dry and just a careless flick of a cigarette or an unattended campfire can lead to hundreds of acres of destruction.

The City Council takes wildfires very seriously, and there is a map that shows high fire hazard areas of the county. Because the city averages one large wildfire per decade, chances are that you will see one while living there. But, the Fire Safety Council helps raise awareness and tells you how to prepare in the event of a wildfire.

Imagine a peaceful stroll down a lovely Santa Barbara beach. You look to the ocean, and instead of bright blue water, you see oily, unpleasant water instead. The oily water problem comes from the city being on the coast, where offshore oil drilling occurs. It is also possible for an underground pipe to break and the oil to find its way to the beaches.

Then there is the issue of naturally occurring marine hydrocarbon seeps from the Santa Barbara channel. This phenomenon that has been happening for thousands of years thrills scientists and led to the start of offshore drilling. But, it can leave you with gooey sandals if you are not careful where you walk.

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Related Questions

How safe is Santa Barbara?

The crime rate is lower than the national average. On a scale of 1 – 10, US News & World Report gave Santa Barbara a 7.7 rating.

Will I see celebrities in Santa Barbara?

The chances of seeing a celebrity in Santa Barbara are pretty good! Among those with homes in the area are Oprah Winfrey, Drew Barrymore, Angelina Jolie, Rob Lowe, Ellen DeGeneres, Brad Pitt, and Charlize Theron.

What are the best high schools in Santa Barbara?

Niche ranked Dos Pueblos Senior High School as the best in Santa Barbara. It is followed by the San Marcos Senior High School and Orcutt Academy Charter School.