The Town FilesVandenberg AFB, California
Community in Santa Barbara County · population 3,559 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $84,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 73°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 25.1
Vandenberg AFB is a community of 3,559 people in Santa Barbara County, California. It ranks better for young professionals than 98% of California towns, more seaside character than 95% of California towns, better for cycling than 92% of California towns.
How Vandenberg AFB 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
Median rent is $2,747 a month. 0.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Vandenberg AFB | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,747 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $84,167 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 0.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 2001 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Vandenberg AFB
| People | Vandenberg AFB | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 29.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 12.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.3% | — |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 11.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 93.3% |
Weather in Vandenberg AFB
July highs average 72.5°F and January lows 43.2°F. About 15.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 4 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Vandenberg AFB since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on March 29, 2006 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 29, 2006.
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 Vandenberg AFB itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in Vandenberg AFB
3 public schools with 1,422 students, about 23.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vandenberg Middle | 7-8 | 574 | 21.3 |
| Manzanita Public Charter (charter) | K-6 | 458 | 26.9 |
| Crestview Elementary | K-6 | 390 | 22.9 |
Towns near Vandenberg AFB
- Vandenberg Village, CA2.8 mi · 7,308 people · home $637,100
- Mission Hills, CA4.7 mi · 3,571 people · home $492,900
- Lompoc, CA4.9 mi · 44,444 people · home $472,900
- Orcutt, CA10.9 mi · 32,034 people · home $624,500
- Santa Maria, CA14.6 mi · 109,707 people · home $531,700
- Guadalupe, CA16.8 mi · 8,057 people · home $495,600
- Buellton, CA19.4 mi · 5,161 people · home $837,400
- Nipomo, CA20.9 mi · 18,176 people · home $723,700
Vandenberg AFB questions
Is Vandenberg AFB, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Vandenberg AFB scores better for retirees than 15% of California towns and quieter than 33%. 0.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 25.1).
What is the weather like in Vandenberg AFB?
July highs average 72.5°F and January lows 43.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Vandenberg AFB get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Vandenberg AFB since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on March 29, 2006. The typical California town has had 2.
- 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)