Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 13,920.
Homes are expensive, about $1.5 million for a typical one and 15.1 times the Santa Maria metro’s $98K median household income. Overall it grades C, better than 31% of U.S. towns. Its schools outperform 91% of the state's and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 95% of U.S. towns. Its weakest subject is hazard risk: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 83% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. Isla Vista is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among California’s towns. 2.3% of residents are 65 or older in Isla Vista, against 16% in California’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. Of the 847 California towns we compare, none has a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Isla Vista. The biggest park or preserve is Campus Point State Marine Conservation Area, at 43 acres.
Where Isla Vista beats most towns.
23,096 counted in 2010 and 15,500 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Isla Vista is from typical.
Its grades run from A for walkability (better than 95% of comparable towns) to D− for cost of living (better than 2%), so the C overall blends very different results.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 13,441 in 1970, a peak of 23,096 in 2010, 15,500 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 6 maps from 1942 on.
Explore the history →Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Isla Vista. Close and well known come first.
22 mi National ParkChannel Islands National Park227K visitors a year
19 mi National forestLos Padres National Forest
12 mi GardenLotusland
9 mi LandmarkPresidio of Santa Barbara
9 mi MuseumSanta Barbara Museum of Natural History
11 mi Zoo & aquariumSanta Barbara ZooChannel Islands National Park: Copernicus Sentinel-2, ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo · Los Padres National Forest: Taken by Antandrus, Public domain · Lotusland: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Presidio of Santa Barbara: Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: Jllm06, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Santa Barbara Zoo: Dakart at en.wikipedia, Public domain
Isla Vista is unincorporated, so Santa Barbara County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Isla Vista.
Isla Vista is shaped by its college students, has fewer 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
At 15.1 years of the Santa Maria metro’s $98K median household income, the typical home (about $1.48M) costs more against local pay than in 93% of California towns; that ratio is one input to its D− for cost of living. The typical value, about $1.48M, is 17% below its October 2023 peak.
1.2% of households own their home in Isla Vista. Typical home values fell 6.7% in the year to September 2026. Isla Vista’s median rent is $1,878 a month.
| Isla Vista | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 1.2% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,878 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its A for schools comes with a D− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $1.48M.
Its public schools are run by the Goleta Union Elementary school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isla Vista ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 418 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests
82.7% of residents are enrolled in college, against 7.6% statewide, which pulls the median age down. The median household earns $25,972, against $99,122 across California, one input to its C− for jobs and income.
1.8% of Isla Vista residents are under 18. Adults 18 to 34 are 92% of residents (24% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 4% of residents (39% statewide). The median age in Isla Vista is 21.2 years.
| Isla Vista | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 1.8% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 21.2 years | 39.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 44% | 29% | 29% |
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.5 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women. Among residents 45 to 54, 84% are men (CA 50%). Median age: women 21.0, men 21.5.
| Isla Vista | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 1.4% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 86.2% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.8% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 1.4% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 1.4% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 1% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 1.4% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 0.9% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8.7% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 21.5% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.6% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.6% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.2% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 22.4% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
3.7 miles of trail in 12 parks and preserves. Among 788 California towns, just 6 have a higher trail density than Isla Vista.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Camino Corto Open Space | 1.2 mi | 22 |
| 2. Del Sol Vernal Pool Preserve | 0.7 mi | 12 |
| 3. Estero Park | 0.3 mi | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Isla Vista has 858 jobs for its 3,023 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 15.6 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Most working residents leave Isla Vista for work: only 5% work in town. Since 2013, Isla Vista has added 134 jobs, to 858 in 2023. Only 2 of the 846 California towns we compare have a lower median household income than Isla Vista.
| Isla Vista | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $26,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 14% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.3% | 6.6% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The Santa Barbara weather station, 10 miles away, records that about 5 days a year reach 90°, fewer than in 97% of U.S. towns. January nights average 45.4°, milder than in 97% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 71.6°.
Isla Vista has warm winters and cool summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Isla Vista | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 72°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 45°F | 40°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the 267 U.S. towns with household incomes like Isla Vista’s, it is healthier than 98%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income.
Isla Vista beats the California average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16. Among 847 California towns, just 2 have a higher share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Isla Vista.
| Isla Vista | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 5% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 17% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 36% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 16% | 14% |
| What stands out | Isla Vista | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 1.5% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 8.6% | 20.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 33.2% | 10.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
6 within 15 miles of the center of Isla Vista
College town 83 of every 100 Isla Vista residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
15.4% of the town is conserved land, across 12 parks and preserves.
Community in California, United States
Isla Vista (English: EYE-luh VIS-tuh; Spanish: [ˈisla ˈβista], lit. 'island view') is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. As of 2020 census, the community had a population of 15,500. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined the community as a census-designated place (CDP). The majority of residents are college students at the University of California, Santa Barbara, or Santa Barbara City College. The beachside community of Isla Vista lies on a flat plateau about 30 feet (9 m) in elevation, separated from the beach by a bluff. Isla Vista enjoys a Mediterranean climate and often has slightly less precipitation than Santa…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Isla Vista.
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isla Vista | – | C | D− | — | A | B− |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | – | A− | C− | — | A | A |
Isla Vista and University of California-Santa Barbara report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Isla Vista with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Isla Vista grades C overall, better than 31% of U.S. towns. Isla Vista is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among California’s towns. It grades B− for health and A for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.
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