A new report on rental housing in Santa Barbara County’s South Coast reveals a stark reality for renters in the region as median rents continue to surge across all housing types. Compiled by local economic consulting firm Robert D. Niehaus, Inc. (RDN) for the City of Santa Barbara, the 2025 analysis sheds light on the unaffordability of housing for many residents and tracks dramatic increases in rental costs over the last decade.
The study analyzed rental listings from April 2025, focusing on the South Coast communities of Goleta, Isla Vista, Santa Barbara, Montecito, Summerland, and Carpinteria. Listings from platforms like Craigslist and Zillow, as well as RDN’s proprietary national database, were scrubbed to account only for long-term, unfurnished rentals in apartments, condominiums, townhouses, and single-family homes. Duplicate listings and specialized housing, such as student-only or subsidized units, were excluded.
Median Rents Skyrocket Over the Decade
The findings reveal an escalation in rental costs since the City’s last comprehensive report in 2016. For a two-bedroom apartment, the median rent in 2025 jumped to $3,850—an increase of 66% from $2,325 in 2016. Even one-bedroom apartments, often considered an affordable option for individuals or couples, now have a median rent of nearly $3,000 countywide.
In Santa Barbara itself, rents were slightly higher than the South Coast average, with one-bedroom apartments renting for close to $3,000, and two-bedroom units reaching nearly $4,000—not including utilities. In Isla Vista, a two-bedroom apartment commands a staggering $8,000 per month, the highest in the region. Montecito followed closely behind with a median two-bedroom rent of $7,200, while Summerland had the lowest at $3,775.
Income Requirements Highlight Affordability Crisis
The report paints a sobering picture of affordability in the region. According to the survey, the minimum annual income required to avoid spending more than 30% of household income on rent—a standard measure of affordability—has become alarmingly high. For a one-bedroom apartment with a median rent of $2,883, renters must earn an annual income of at least $115,300, equating to an hourly wage of $55.43…