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Economy, jobs and prices in Santa Maria, California: official figures

The median household income in Santa Maria was $84,746 a year in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey (in 2024 dollars), 370th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US median was $80,734 and the California median $99,122.

Median household income
$84,746
2020-2024
Unemployment rate (ACS)
7.3%
2020-2024
Mean travel time to work
22.4 min
2020-2024
Median gross rent (monthly)
$1,925
2020-2024
Median home value (owner-occupied)
$531,700
2020-2024
Homes occupied by their owners
50.2%
2020-2024
Households with a broadband subscription
89.8%
2020-2024

What is the per capita income in Santa Maria?

Income per resident (per capita income) in Santa Maria averaged $27,440 a year in 2020-2024, 56th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $44,673; California: $49,513).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How unequal are incomes in Santa Maria?

Santa Maria's Gini index of household income inequality was 0.421 in 2020-2024 (0 means equal incomes, 1 maximum inequality), 207th least unequal of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US figure was 0.483.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the unemployment rate in Santa Maria, California?

7.3% of the civilian labor force in Santa Maria was unemployed on average over 2020-2024 (3,867 people), 133rd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US rate in the same survey was 5.2% and California's 6.6%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in Santa Maria are working?

66.1% of Santa Maria's 80,770 residents aged 16 and over were in the labor force (working or looking for work) in 2020-2024, 388th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 63.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Santa Maria have jobs?

49,184 residents of Santa Maria held civilian jobs, 60.9% of those aged 16 and over (US: 59.7%), and 307 served in the armed forces.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What are the main industries in Santa Maria?

The largest industry group for working residents of Santa Maria was agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining (22.6% of employed residents), followed by education, health care and social assistance (18.2%) and retail trade (10.2%), 2020-2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Santa Maria work in manufacturing?

Manufacturing employed 7.2% of working residents of Santa Maria, 277th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 9.9%); professional, scientific and management services employed 6.8% (US: 12.6%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How long is the commute in Santa Maria, California?

Commuters in Santa Maria took 22.4 minutes on average to get to work in 2020-2024, 271st shortest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 26.4 minutes); 4.8% travelled an hour or more and 33.2% less than 15 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How do people in Santa Maria get to work?

4.7% of workers living in Santa Maria worked from home in 2020-2024, 12th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 15.1%). 71.3% drove to work alone, 18.8% carpooled, 1.8% used public transport and 1.4% walked.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the average rent in Santa Maria, California?

The median gross rent (rent plus utilities) in Santa Maria was $1,925 a month in 2020-2024, 202nd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $1,413; California: $2,036).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does a house cost in Santa Maria?

Owner-occupied homes in Santa Maria had a median value of $531,700 in 2020-2024 as estimated by their owners, 234th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $332,700; California: $734,700).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How affordable are homes in Santa Maria?

The median home value in Santa Maria was 6.3 times the median household income, 184th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 4.1 times).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in Santa Maria, California own their home?

50.2% of the 29,505 occupied homes in Santa Maria were lived in by their owners in 2020-2024 and 14,693 were rented, 213th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more for home ownership (US: 65.2%; California: 55.9%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of homes in Santa Maria have broadband?

89.8% of households in Santa Maria had a broadband internet subscription of some type in 2020-2024, 203rd lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 91.0%; California: 93.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many households in Santa Maria have no internet?

8.2% of households in Santa Maria (2,423) had no internet access at home in 2020-2024, 117th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.5%); 11.3% relied on a cellular data plan alone (US: 11.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Santa Maria compares with other cities in the United States

Median household income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 370 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian household income (2024 dollars)
367Fort Collins$85,070
368Colorado Springs$84,818
369Gardena$84,803
370Santa Maria$84,746
371Loveland$84,604
372North Port$84,049
373Oak Lawn$83,911
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Per capita income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 768 of 823, highest first.

RankCityPer capita income (2024 dollars)
765Lorain$27,589
766San Marcos$27,545
767Dayton$27,444
768Santa Maria$27,440
769Utica$27,402
770Colton$27,391
771Caldwell$27,345
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Gini index of household income inequality (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 617 of 823, highest first.

RankCityGini index of household income inequality
614Westminster0.421
615Albany0.421
616Enid0.421
617Santa Maria0.421
618Chandler0.421
619McKinney0.421
620Chesapeake0.420
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Unemployment rate (share of civilian labor force) (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 133 of 823, highest first.

RankCityUnemployment rate (share of civilian labor force)
130Bristol7.3%
131Wilmington7.3%
132Pawtucket7.3%
133Santa Maria7.3%
134Anderson7.3%
135West Haven7.3%
136Buffalo7.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Labor force participation rate (16 and over) (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 388 of 823, highest first.

RankCityLabor force participation rate (16 and over)
385Collierville66.1%
386Lake Elsinore66.1%
387Huntington Beach66.1%
388Santa Maria66.1%
389Glendale66.1%
390Cincinnati66.1%
391Edmond66.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Mean travel time to work (minutes) (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 553 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMean travel time to work (minutes)
550Kansas City22.4
551Odessa22.4
552Costa Mesa22.4
553Santa Maria22.4
554Fresno22.4
555Cincinnati22.4
556Albuquerque22.4
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers who worked from home (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 812 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers who worked from home
809Lake Charles5.0%
810Perth Amboy4.8%
811Pontiac4.8%
812Santa Maria4.7%
813Kenner4.7%
814Beaumont4.5%
815Salinas4.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers commuting by public transportation (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 303 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers commuting by public transportation
300Oceanside1.8%
301Anaheim1.8%
302Harrisonburg1.8%
303Santa Maria1.8%
304Greensboro1.8%
305Louisville/Jefferson County metro government1.8%
306Norwalk1.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents working in manufacturing (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 547 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents working in manufacturing
544Dallas7.2%
545Kennewick7.2%
546Brockton7.2%
547Santa Maria7.2%
548Santa Cruz7.2%
549Durham7.2%
550Wichita Falls7.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents in education, health care and social assistance (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 754 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents in education, health care and social assistance
751Sammamish18.3%
752Commerce City18.3%
753Grand Island18.2%
754Santa Maria18.2%
755Brookhaven18.2%
756Springdale18.2%
757Lake Forest18.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median gross rent per month (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 202 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian gross rent per month
199Allen$1,932
200Pflugerville$1,932
201Missouri City$1,931
202Santa Maria$1,925
203Franklin$1,923
204New Rochelle$1,917
205Barnstable Town$1,917
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 234 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian value of owner-occupied homes
231Holly Springs$535,800
232Paramount$533,700
233Westminster$532,400
234Santa Maria$531,700
235Meridian$531,600
236West Sacramento$525,800
237Hillsboro$521,100
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median home value as a multiple of median household income (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 181 of 820, highest first.

RankCityMedian home value as a multiple of median household income
178Longmont6.3x
179Malden6.3x
180Highland6.3x
181Santa Maria6.3x
182New Bedford6.3x
183San Bernardino6.3x
184Carson City6.3x
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Occupied homes lived in by their owners (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 611 of 823, highest first.

RankCityOccupied homes lived in by their owners
608Tampa50.3%
609Hillsboro50.2%
610Waukegan50.2%
611Santa Maria50.2%
612Sandy Springs50.2%
613Fresno50.1%
614Pawtucket50.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with a broadband subscription (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 621 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with a broadband subscription
618Elkhart90.0%
619Fort Myers89.9%
620West Allis89.9%
621Santa Maria89.8%
622Des Moines89.8%
623El Monte89.8%
624Jackson89.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with no internet access (2020-2024)

Santa Maria ranks 117 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with no internet access
114Schenectady8.3%
115South Bend8.3%
116Bethlehem8.2%
117Santa Maria8.2%
118Syracuse8.2%
119Beaumont8.2%
120Amarillo8.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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