Isla Vista is a community in Santa Barbara County, California, home to about 13,920 people across 0.6 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 93117.
Homes sold for a median of $821 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Goleta; part is in Isla Vista
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Isla Vista. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Isla Vista’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Isla Vista 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, CA88 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Isla Vista; 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.
Isla Vista had 15,500 residents in the 2020 census, down 16% since 2000.
It’s the 418th 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 Isla Vista.
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 (3 nearby)
Grocery stores (2 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 1 mile 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.
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 | 2.0 mi |
| Ellwood ElementaryGoleta | K–6 | 303 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Isla Vista ElementaryGoleta | K–6 | 418 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Kellogg ElementaryGoleta | K–6 | 369 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| La Patera ElementaryGoleta | K–6 | 369 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Santa Barbara CharterGoleta | K–8 | 269 | Charter | 2.0 mi |
| Vista de Las CrucesGaviota | K–8 | 65 | Public | 21.7 mi |
| Goleta Valley Junior HighGoleta | 7–8 | 731 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Dos Pueblos Senior HighGoleta | 9–12 | 2,149 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Coast MontessoriGoleta | Pre-K–4 | 16 | Nonsectarian | 1.5 mi |
| Waldorf School of Santa BarbaraGoleta | Pre-K–8 | 115 | Nonsectarian | 1.6 mi |
| Coastline Christian AcademyGoleta | K–8 | 143 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 2.4 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.
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Shares ZIP codes with Goleta, Santa Barbara, University of California-Santa Barbara and Eastern Goleta Valley.
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.