VandenbergVillage, 2010
Vandenberg Village’s story
Vandenberg Village in pictures
Census counts: 4,874 in 1970, 7,308 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2010 and 4 maps from 1947 on.
Explore the history →
Vandenberg VillageCA
A town of 6,776.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Antandrus at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
6,776
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$637K
Census ACS
Household income
$111K
median
Median age
41.2
years
Jobs based here
560
A commuter town
TownGrade
C
#384 of 841 in CA
Is Vandenberg Village a good place to live?
Vandenberg Village grades C overall, ranked 384th of 841 in California, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns. On the other side, the typical home is worth about $637K, 6.5 years of the Santa Maria metro’s $98K median household income. Vandenberg Village’s July high is 74°F, against 89°F in California’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. On hazard risk, just 93 of California’s 1,064 towns do better.
What makes Vandenberg Village stand out
Where Vandenberg Village beats most towns.
A growing town
Vandenberg Village has grown 13% from 2010 to 2020
6,497 counted in 2010 and 7,308 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Vandenberg Village grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Vandenberg Village is from typical.
Cost of livingDOpen →HealthLompoc Valley Medical Center 5.2 miles awayA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 55% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listC+Open →Jobs & income$111K median household incomeBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.6 of 20; 2.6% of households have no car; 2.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
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.
ClimateMild winters, 76° summer afternoons–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.2; 38% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Vandenberg Village: who provides what
Vandenberg Village is unincorporated, so Santa Barbara County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVandenberg Village Comm. Serv. Dist. water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSanta Barbara CountySanta Barbara County provides services here
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 code9343693436 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 Vandenberg Village.
Vandenberg Village carries less natural-hazard risk than most of California (mostly inland flooding), keeps more of its land conserved than most of California and has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns.
OutdoorsB+
Conserved land covers nearly a third of Vandenberg Village
Its 1,741 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in 98% of California towns.
6.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. Vandenberg Village’s trail density is 1.1 miles per square mile.
#340for trails in CA
51.8%
conserved · 1,741 of 3,361 acres
6.0 mi
of trails · 1.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Falcon Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB−
Vandenberg Village’s public schools trail 53% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Lompoc Unified school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Cabrillo High, with 1,060 students.
47%of CA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Vista ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 498 | – |
| Cabrillo HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,060 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
Vandenberg Village earns an A− for health
Its widest gap with California is tooth loss: 5.5% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 10.6% statewide.
25% of adults have obesity in Vandenberg Village. Vandenberg Village beats the California average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 32% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Vandenberg Village.
82%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Vandenberg Village | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 29% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 35% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 9.9% | 11% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 72% | 79% |
32 measures vs. California
12 better18 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Vandenberg Village | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.5% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.1% | 6.4% |
Lompoc Valley Medical Center
5.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
73rd
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Most working residents commute out of Vandenberg Village
Vandenberg Village has 560 jobs for its 2,796 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 22.2 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Most working residents leave Vandenberg Village for work: only 5% work in town. 3.3% of Vandenberg Village residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Vandenberg Village fell to 560 in 2023, 103 fewer than in 2013.
5%work in town
| Vandenberg Village | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $111,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.8% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Vandenberg Village5%
Lompoc18%
Santa Maria9%
Santa Barbara8%
Vandenberg AFB6%
23 mi
median commute distance
560
jobs based in Vandenberg Village
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 50% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Vandenberg Village has mild winters and pleasant summers
January nights average 43°, milder than in 96% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 73.8°.
Vandenberg Village has warm winters and cool summers, with very little rain. The January low in Vandenberg Village is 43°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
76°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter43–64°
Spring47–67°
Summer54–73°
Fall50–73°
+2.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
76°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than California overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (24% statewide); people 65 and older are 21% of residents (16% statewide). 39% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 37% across California.
41.2median age · CA 37.9
| Vandenberg Village | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 16% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 39% | 29% | 29% |
| Median age | 41.2 years | 39 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 23% | 22% | 22% |
Vandenberg VillageCaliforniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school19%
Some college24%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
46% women, 54% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.3 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 83% are men (CA 51%).
| Vandenberg Village | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 15.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.7% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.9% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.6% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.5% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.4% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.1% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.3% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.3% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 19.1% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.3% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.7% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.7% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.8% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Vandenberg Village
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 90% of California towns, with expected losses of about $310 per resident a year; that rating is what its C+ for hazard risk is built on.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesDrought
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade D
The median home in Vandenberg Village sells for about $835K
$835Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
47
days on market
99.7%
sale-to-list price
9
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Vandenberg Village
17pages on Vandenberg Village
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Vandenberg Village; the nearest are
Allan Hancock CollegeCommunity college · Public · Santa Maria16.2 mi$1,156 in-state tuitionUniversity of California-Santa BarbaraUniversity or college · Public · Santa Barbara40.5 mi$16,414 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Vandenberg Village residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Vandenberg Village for work
Where Vandenberg Village’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
560jobs based in Vandenberg Village
5%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Vandenberg Village
Census-designated place in California, United States
Vandenberg Village is a census-designated place (CDP) in the unincorporated area of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The population was 7,308 at the 2020 census, up from 6,497 at the 2010 census. It is a community situated in the hills north of Lompoc, California. While shops and markets can be found in Vandenberg Village, many residents commute to nearby Lompoc on a daily basis. It is close to Vandenberg Space Force Base.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 374 ft
- Area code
- 805
Vandenberg Village’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Vandenberg Village.
Vandenberg AFBVandenberg Village
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vandenberg Village | #384 | C | D | — | B− | A− |
| Vandenberg AFB | #280 | C+ | D− | — | C+ | A |
Vandenberg Village and Vandenberg AFB report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Vandenberg Village with a neighbor →
Questions about Vandenberg Village
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Vandenberg Village, CA a good place to live?
Vandenberg Village grades C overall, better than 30% of U.S. towns and #384 of 841 in California. It grades A− for health and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Vandenberg Village, CA expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $637,000, 16% 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.