The Town FilesSanta Ynez, California
Community in Santa Barbara County · population 4,505 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,163,000
- Household income
- $110,781
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 37.8
Santa Ynez is a community of 4,505 people in Santa Barbara County, California. The median home is worth $1,163,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for retirees than 89% of California towns, better for families than 87% of California towns, better for young professionals than 76% of California towns.
How Santa Ynez ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Santa Ynez is worth $1,163,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 10.5 times the median household income of $110,781, which is more affordable than 7% of California towns. Median rent is $1,969 a month. 64.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Santa Ynez | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,163,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,969 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $110,781 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 10.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.0% | — |
Who lives in Santa Ynez
| People | Santa Ynez | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.4% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.0% | — |
| Work from home | 19.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Santa Ynez
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 34.2°F. About 21.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 86 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 19 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Santa Ynez since 1950.
Severe weather in Santa Barbara County since 1996
Santa Barbara County has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County had 216,323 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,664 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Santa Ynez itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Public schools in Santa Ynez
3 public schools with 358 students, about 15.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ynez Valley Charter (charter) | K-8 | 170 | 15.5 |
| Santa Ynez Elementary | 1-8 | 164 | 16.4 |
| College Elementary | K-K | 24 | 12.0 |
Towns near Santa Ynez
- Solvang, CA3.0 mi · 6,126 people · home $949,600
- Buellton, CA5.6 mi · 5,161 people · home $837,400
- Goleta, CA18.5 mi · 32,690 people · home $1,062,100
- Isla Vista, CA19.5 mi · 15,500 people · home $1,218,800
- University of California-Santa Barbara, CA19.8 mi · 9,710 people · home $452,900
- Mission Hills, CA20.1 mi · 3,571 people · home $492,900
- Eastern Goleta Valley, CA21.4 mi · 28,656 people · home $1,361,700
- Lompoc, CA21.5 mi · 44,444 people · home $472,900
Santa Ynez questions
Is Santa Ynez, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Santa Ynez scores better for retirees than 89% of California towns and quieter than 71%. 23.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in Santa Ynez?
The median owner-occupied home in Santa Ynez is valued at $1,163,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $110,781, so homes cost about 10.5 times income. Median rent is $1,969 a month.
What is the weather like in Santa Ynez?
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 34.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Santa Ynez get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Santa Ynez in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)