Santa Barbara, CA
Commercial Real Estate Market Trends & Data

$854 Avg asking sale price
$34 Avg asking lease rate
6,499 SF Avg unit lease size
11,935 SF Avg building size for sale
5.45% Average cap rate

Santa Barbara's Demographic Profile

Santa Barbara has 35,838 households and a median income of $97,419, providing context for rent absorption and tenant demand across retail and multifamily assets. A 0% five-year population trend is a key signal for evaluating long-term demand in this market.

Key Demographic Metric Value
Population 90,079
# Households 35,838
Median age 40
Median household income $97,419
Avg household size 2.0
Renter-occupied housing units 21,146
5-year population change 0%

{{marketTabHeadings[activeMarketTab]}} Market Metrics Near Santa Barbara, CA

↻ Updated Monthly

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Nearby Industrial Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
Santa Barbara $604 7,157 SF 5.46%
Goleta $365 8,266 SF 5.46%
Carpinteria $279 29,007 SF 5.67%
Gaviota $512 8,266 SF 5.46%
Nearby Retail Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size
Santa Barbara $1,050 11,667 SF
Montecito $1,268 3,115 SF
Summerland $893 5,932 SF
Goleta $369 4,740 SF
Gaviota $464 5,641 SF
Nearby Multifamily Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
Santa Barbara $816 7,000 SF 6.64%
Montecito $1,578 3,691 SF 4.80%
Isla Vista $780 8,909 SF 6.64%
Goleta $708 7,980 SF 6.64%

Commercial Properties For Sale in Santa Barbara

The listings below reflect how current market pricing and building scale translate into active opportunities available today.
For Sale

412 Corona Del Mar

Santa Barbara, CA 93103

  • 5,451 SF Multifamily
  • 2.63% Cap Rate
  • $4,495,000
For Sale

102 S Voluntario St

Santa Barbara, CA 93103

  • 2,308 SF Multifamily
  • $2,700,000
For Sale

Lower Riviera Location by Santa Barbara Bowl

Santa Barbara, CA 93103

  • 4,256 SF Multifamily
  • $2,750,000
For Sale

6624 Sueno Rd

Goleta, CA 93117

  • 0.34 AC Lot
  • 1 Residential Income Lot
  • $2,000,000
For Sale

Residential Income Del Playa Trophy Value Add

Goleta, CA 93117

  • 1,105 SF Specialty
  • $1,950,000
For Sale

Sea View Apartments

Goleta, CA 93117

  • 14,188 SF Multifamily
  • $11,300,000

Average Price For Sale

↻ Updated Monthly

Average Price For Lease

↻ Updated Monthly

Number of Listings

↻ Updated Monthly

Cap Rate

↻ Updated Monthly

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Nearby Commercial Markets

Comparing nearby markets helps investors see whether Santa Barbara pricing and building scale sit above, below, or in line with surrounding areas.

Commercial Markets Avg Cost/SF Average Size
Santa Barbara $854 11,935 SF
Montecito $1,145 4,021 SF
Isla Vista $926 6,816 SF
Summerland $930 10,625 SF
Santa Ynez $1,003 14,235 SF

Regional Demographic Comparison

This comparison places Santa Barbara alongside nearby cities to show how population size, household counts, and income levels differ across the region. Viewing these markets side by side helps investors understand whether local demand and income characteristics are concentrated in Santa Barbara or distributed across surrounding areas.

City Population # Households Age Median Household Income Avg Household Size Renter Occupied Housing Units Five Yr Pop Growth %
Montecito 9,415 3,767 51 $184,697 2 1,142 3%
Isla Vista 17,594 4,987 25 $24,913 3 4,762 -1%
Summerland 1,007 484 52 $107,790 2 211 -8%
Santa Ynez 4,094 1,574 50 $121,022 3 420 -6%

Disclaimer: The figures on this page reflect LoopNet's active commercial listings in Santa Barbara, CA and update as inventory changes. Averages can shift between periods or vary across property types depending on the mix of listings available at a given time, so individual metrics may not reflect broader market trends. These figures are best used as directional benchmarks for early market evaluation. For comprehensive commercial real estate data and analytics, subscribe to CoStar.

FAQs About Commercial Investing in Santa Barbara

View All Commercial Real Estate For Sale in Santa Barbara
Is Santa Barbara a good market for a first-time commercial real estate investor?

Santa Barbara offers commercial properties across a wide range of sizes and price points. By reviewing the market data and benchmarks on this page, first-time investors can better understand what a typical commercial property looks like before committing capital and narrowing in on specific listings.

How can this market data help me decide whether to buy commercial property for my business in Santa Barbara?

The pricing and size metrics on this page help business owners compare the cost of ownership against leasing in Santa Barbara. Typical building sizes and asking prices provide a starting point for evaluating space needs, budget fit, and long term occupancy costs before engaging lenders or brokers.

What should conservative investors focus on when evaluating commercial properties in Santa Barbara?

Conservative investors often prioritize manageable deal sizes, stable pricing ranges, and cap rate benchmarks shown for Santa Barbara. These metrics help assess whether current market conditions support steady income potential without relying on aggressive assumptions.

How does Santa Barbara compare to nearby commercial real estate markets?

Nearby market comparisons highlight differences in pricing, building scale, and cap rate ranges relative to Santa Barbara. Reviewing these side by side helps experienced investors identify relative value, pricing premiums, or alternative markets that may better align with return targets.

How can this page support early-stage deal screening for Santa Barbara acquisitions?

This page provides high-level benchmarks for pricing, deal size, and observed cap rates in Santa Barbara, which are useful for initial market filtering. Institutional and data-driven investors often use these signals to prioritize listings that meet size, pricing, and return thresholds before deeper underwriting.

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