Goleta is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, home to about 32,685 people across 7.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 93117, and parts of 93111 are in Goleta too.
Homes sold for a median of $821 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Goleta; also Isla Vista and Santa Barbara
Mostly Eastern Goleta Valley; part is in Goleta
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Goleta. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Goleta’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Goleta well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)87 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)1 mile away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Bakersfield, CA79 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Los Angeles, CA87 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Goleta; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Goleta had 32,690 residents in the 2020 census, down 41% since 2000.
It’s the 252nd largest of 1,563 towns in California by population.
Santa Barbara County grew from 18,934 residents in 1900 to 448,229 in 2020.
Santa Barbara County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 75°F in summer, and winter lows average 40°F. About 17.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Santa Barbara Muni Ap, CA weather station (about a mile away).
160,460 jobs at 12,484 businesses in Santa Barbara County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
189 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Goleta.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 6 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 15 |
| Dentists | 35 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 11 |
| Mental health providers | 97 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 10 |
| Optometrists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 12 |
| Pharmacies | 7 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (32 nearby)
Grocery stores (6 nearby)
Pharmacies (6 nearby)
Libraries (3 nearby)
Museums (4 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (6 nearby)
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 2002.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Goleta Union Elementary, Santa Barbara Unified, Vista del Mar Union. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon ElementaryGoleta | K–6 | 429 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Ellwood ElementaryGoleta | K–6 | 303 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| Isla Vista ElementaryGoleta | K–6 | 418 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Kellogg ElementaryGoleta | K–6 | 369 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| La Patera ElementaryGoleta | K–6 | 369 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Santa Barbara CharterGoleta | K–8 | 269 | Charter | 1.8 mi |
| Vista de Las CrucesGaviota | K–8 | 65 | Public | 21.9 mi |
| Goleta Valley Junior HighGoleta | 7–8 | 731 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Dos Pueblos Senior HighGoleta | 9–12 | 2,149 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Coast MontessoriGoleta | Pre-K–4 | 16 | Nonsectarian | 1.8 mi |
| Waldorf School of Santa BarbaraGoleta | Pre-K–8 | 115 | Nonsectarian | 1.8 mi |
| Coastline Christian AcademyGoleta | K–8 | 143 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 2.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Goleta? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Isla Vista, Eastern Goleta Valley, Santa Barbara and University of California-Santa Barbara.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.