Orcutt, CA - Business Section, 2009
Orcutt’s story
122 years in pictures
Census counts: 28,830 in 2000, 32,034 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 4 maps from 1947 on.
- 1904Orcutt is settled
OrcuttCA
A town of 31,454, settled in 1904.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Orcutteer · CC BY 4.0
Population
31,454
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$625K
Census ACS
Household income
$111K
median
Median age
39.9
years
Jobs based here
4,654
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#187 of 841 in CA
Is Orcutt a good place to live?
Orcutt grades B− overall, ranked 187th of 841 in California, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 76% of the country and it is more walkable than 86% of U.S. towns. On the other side, homes are expensive, about $624K for a typical one and 6.4 times the Santa Maria metro’s $98K median household income. Orcutt’s midsummer high is 77°F, below both the California town median (89°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F). The biggest park or preserve is Waller Park, at 129 acres.
What makes Orcutt stand out
Where Orcutt beats most towns.
A growing town
Orcutt has grown 11% from 2010 to 2020
28,905 counted in 2010 and 32,034 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Orcutt grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Orcutt is from typical.
Cost of livingTypical home $625K, 6.4 years of the Santa Maria metro’s $98K median household incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.4 of 20; 4.1% of households have no carAOpen →HealthMarian Regional Medical Center 5.7 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income$111K median household incomeB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →SchoolsBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Orcutt: who provides what
Orcutt is unincorporated, so Santa Barbara County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGolden State Water Company - OrcuttNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSanta Barbara CountySanta Barbara County provides services here
SchoolsOrcutt Union Elementary School DistrictSanta Maria Joint Union High School District2 districts serve Orcutt; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSanta Barbara County Clerk-ElectionsSanta Barbara County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code9345593455 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Orcutt.
Orcutt has a longer frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns, owes part of its health edge to its incomes and has commutes shorter than most of California.
HealthA−
For health, Orcutt earns an A−
Against the 6,945 U.S. towns with household incomes like Orcutt’s, it is healthier than 55%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
Orcutt: 11% of adults smoke cigarettes. CDC measures, 32 in all: Orcutt beats California on 10 and trails on 4. 31% of adults in Orcutt sleep under 7 hours; 74% had a checkup this year.
76%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Orcutt | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 29% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 35% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 72% | 79% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 11% | 14% |
32 measures vs. California
10 better18 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Orcutt | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.8% | 17.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.2% | 14.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 8.9% | 6.4% |
Marian Regional Medical Center
5.7 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
65th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB
Orcutt’s schools rank ahead of 62% of California districts
Of its 16 schools, three are listed below, each with the reason. Public schools: the Orcutt Union Elementary school district. 6 public schools serve Orcutt, with 3,002 students in all.
62%of CA districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Nightingale ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 695 | C− |
| Ernest Righetti HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,416 | – |
| Orcutt Academy CharterTop results in townGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 812 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Most of Orcutt’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.3 jobs for each of them
The average commute for its 13,698 working residents takes 22.1 minutes, against 28.7 across California. Jobs based here grew from 3,263 in 2013 to 4,654.
For half of commuters, work is under 16 miles away. Orcutt’s average commute is 22 minutes. Commuting out is the norm locally: 10% of working residents work locally. It had 4,654 jobs in 2023, up 1,391 from 2013.
10%work in town
| Orcutt | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $111,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 14% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 8% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Orcutt10%
Santa Maria30%
San Luis Obispo5%
Santa Barbara4%
Los Angeles3%
16 mi
median commute distance
4,654
jobs based in Orcutt
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 86% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
The climate in Orcutt brings mild winters and pleasant summers
The Twitchell Dam weather station, 10 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 301 days, longer than in 96% of U.S. towns. January nights average 41.7°, milder than in 95% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 76.7°.
Orcutt’s January low stands at 42°F. Snow almost never falls.
78°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter42–64°
Spring47–69°
Summer54–76°
Fall50–75°
Dec 13
typical first frost
Feb 4
typical last frost
+2.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
78°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsA−
Open space protected for good: 9.8% of Orcutt
There are 5.8 miles of trail across 8 parks and preserves. In Orcutt, the concentration of trails is 0.5 miles per square mile.
#522for trails in CA
| Orcutt | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 9.8% | 4.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
9.8%
conserved · 674 of 6,895 acres
5.8 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Orcutt Community Park | 0.9 mi | 29 |
| 2. Waller Park | — | 129 |
| 3. May Grisham Park | — | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than California overall
In Orcutt, a quarter of residents are under 18. Adults 18 to 34 are nearly a fifth of residents (24% statewide); people 65 and older are 20% of residents (16% statewide). Among adults 25 and older, 33% have a four-year degree or more, against 37% across California.
39.9median age · CA 37.9
| Orcutt | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 25% | 22% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 20% | 16% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 33% | 29% | 29% |
OrcuttCaliforniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
13%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma10%
High school18%
Some college28%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.1 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women. Median age: women 41.6, men 38.7.
| Orcutt | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.1% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.4% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.4% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.7% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.4% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.6% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.1% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.5% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.6% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.8% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 17.6% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 27.9% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.6% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.9% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.2% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Natural hazards: high risk in Orcutt, mostly inland flooding
Orcutt’s FEMA hazard score comes in at 60 of 100. The national flood insurance program has paid one claim here since 2023. FEMA puts 59% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 38% to earthquakes. One declared disaster, in 2022, has brought federal aid to Orcutt households.
60risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakes
1
paid flood claims since 2023
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade D
Homes in Orcutt sell for about $826K
For households in Orcutt, the share who own their home is 77%. The rent at the middle of the market for Orcutt comes to $2,193 a month. Bidding over the asking price: 47% of homes sold locally.
$826Kmedian sale price
| Orcutt | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,193 a month | $1,895 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 77% | 64% | 73% |
Market temperature
22
days on market
100.4%
sale-to-list price
32
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Orcutt
17pages on Orcutt
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Orcutt
About 7 of every 100 Orcutt residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California.
A commuter town
90% of working residents leave Orcutt for work
Where Orcutt’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
4,654jobs based in Orcutt
10%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Orcutt
Place in California, United States
Orcutt is an unincorporated town in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Located in the Santa Maria Valley, Orcutt is named for William Warren Orcutt, the manager of the Geological, Land and Engineering Departments of the Union Oil Company. The population of Orcutt was 32,034 at the 2020 census, up from 28,905 at the 2010 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Orcutt as a census-designated place.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 11 sq mi
- Elevation
- 358 ft
Orcutt’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Orcutt.
Santa MariaOrcutt
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orcutt | #187 | B− | D | — | B | A− |
| Santa Maria | #781 | D− | D | D | C− | C |
Orcutt reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Orcutt with a neighbor →
Questions about Orcutt
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Orcutt, CA a good place to live?
Orcutt grades B− overall, better than 52% of U.S. towns and #187 of 841 in California. It grades A− for health and B for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Orcutt, CA expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $625,000, 18% below the California typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.