Where Are People Moving in Santa Barbara, CA?
IRS county-to-county migration, 2023 tax year (released about two years after the tax year it covers).
People moving in
5,507
People moving out
7,086
Net migration
-3,491
Santa Barbara, CA is a net loser of residents. In the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), 5,507 people moved in and 7,086 moved out, for a net loss of -3,491. Net outflows can soften local rent and price growth over time, though the cause matters as much as the number.
Migration is most useful read alongside the rest of the market. People move for jobs, affordability, climate, and lifestyle, and where they come from and go to says a lot about what a county is competing on. Below are the specific counties driving Santa Barbara, CA’s flows in each direction.
Top counties people moved to Santa Barbara, CA from
| Origin county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 1,018 | 1,474 |
| San Luis Obispo, CACalifornia | 722 | 1,244 |
| Ventura, CACalifornia | 611 | 953 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | 286 | 421 |
| Orange, CACalifornia | 262 | 374 |
| Santa Clara, CACalifornia | 161 | 216 |
| Kern, CACalifornia | 161 | 246 |
| Riverside, CACalifornia | 158 | 239 |
| Alameda, CACalifornia | 142 | 190 |
| Maricopa, AZArizona | 125 | 178 |
Top counties people left Santa Barbara, CA for
| Destination county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 990 | 1,295 |
| Ventura, CACalifornia | 875 | 1,350 |
| San Luis Obispo, CACalifornia | 840 | 1,471 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | 478 | 638 |
| Orange, CACalifornia | 284 | 391 |
| Santa Clara, CACalifornia | 201 | 258 |
| Maricopa, AZArizona | 192 | 286 |
| Kern, CACalifornia | 180 | 357 |
| San Francisco, CACalifornia | 172 | 180 |
| Riverside, CACalifornia | 170 | 272 |
“Returns” counts tax returns (a household proxy) that moved along each flow; “People” counts the individuals on those returns, when reported. IRS aggregate and foreign pseudo-rows are excluded. Informational only, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Are people moving to Santa Barbara, CA or leaving?
Santa Barbara, CA had a net loss of -3,491 residents in the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), with 5,507 people moving in and 7,086 moving out. Net migration is inflow minus outflow.
Where are people moving to Santa Barbara, CA from?
The largest sources of new Santa Barbara, CA residents are Los Angeles, CA, San Luis Obispo, CA, Ventura, CA. The full top-ten list of origin counties is in the table above.
Where do people leaving Santa Barbara, CA go?
People leaving Santa Barbara, CA most often move to Los Angeles, CA, Ventura, CA, San Luis Obispo, CA. The full top-ten list of destination counties is in the table above.
What does Santa Barbara, CA migration mean for housing?
Migration is a leading demand signal. Sustained net inflows tend to support rents and home prices when supply cannot keep up, while net outflows can soften them. Read this alongside Santa Barbara, CA's price forecast, building permits, and affordability on the full county dashboard before drawing a conclusion.
How current is this Santa Barbara, CA migration data?
It comes from IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration data, which is released about two years after the tax year it covers; the figures above reflect the 2023 tax year. That lag is normal for this dataset, which counts actual tax returns rather than survey estimates.