ZIP Code · CA

ZIP 93101

Part of Santa Barbara, CA

Pop. 31,554·Santa Barbara County·230th most expensive ZIP in California

Median rent (all units)

$3,332/mo

Year-over-Year

+2.8%

Month-over-Month

+0.2%

vs US Median

+$1,400

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 93101 · $3,332

More expensive than 94% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$3,050

1 BR

$3,400

2 BR

$3,870

3 BR

$5,050

4 BR+

$5,760

Research median

$3,870/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

April. Asking rents in ZIP 93101 usually run 1% below trend in April and 1.3% above it in September, about $77 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 93101 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in June 2016.

Past year vs. the rest of California

Rent in ZIP 93101 changed +2.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 819 California ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.2%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 93101 rose 46.1% while median household income rose 48.7% ($60,612 to $90,148). Income kept ahead of rent.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 93101 is 51.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($90,148) is $2,254 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($3,050).

Rank in Santa Barbara

1st cheapest of 5 ZIP codes in Santa Barbara.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 93101. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$39,984/yr

At $3,332/mo median

Location

CitySanta Barbara

StateCA

CountySanta Barbara County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (2.8% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+2.8% YoY, +0.2% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 93101 (Santa Barbara, CA) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 43.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

31,554

Median income

$90,148

Median age

33.1

Renters

77.1%

Age distribution

21.3%

31.9%

23.7%

13.1%

Under 1821.3%

18–3431.9%

35–5423.7%

55–6410%

65+13.1%

Gender

50.9%

49.1%

Male50.9%

Female49.1%

Race & ethnicity

50.1%

46.8%

White50.1%

Black0.9%

Hispanic46.8%

Asian2.9%

Education (25+)

16.7%

15.1%

24.9%

43.3%

No HS diploma16.7%

HS diploma15.1%

Some college24.9%

Bachelor's+43.3%

Housing tenure

22.9%

77.1%

Owner22.9%

Renter77.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 93101 in Santa Barbara, CA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$2,427 → $3,332

up 37.3%

Income

$67,368 → $90,148

up 33.8%

Population

31,439 → 31,554

up 0.4%

Renter share

76.6% → 77.1%

+0.5 pts

Bachelor's+

40.4% → 43.3%

+2.9 pts

Median age

32.5 → 33.1

+0.6 yrs

Compared with 2021, rent in ZIP 93101 in Santa Barbara, CA has increased by $905 per month, settling near $3,332 after starting the period at $2,427. Census figures show median household income at $90,148 today, compared with $67,368 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 3.5 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 40.4% to 43.3%. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 93101

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 93101 covers Santa Barbara, CA. The median rent here is $3,332/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $3,400/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $3,870/mo.

At 44% of local median household income ($90,148/yr), ZIP 93101 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.8% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 93101?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $133,000/year (about $64/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $3,332/mo in ZIP 93101. The local median household income is $90,148/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 93101?

Rent in ZIP 93101 has risen 2.8% over the past year as of September 2026. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in June 2016.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 93101?

Asking rents in ZIP 93101 are usually lowest in April, about 1% below their yearly trend, and highest in September, about 1.3% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $77 a month. This pattern comes from 10 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 93101?

No. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 93101 rose 46.1% while median household income rose 48.7%, from $60,612 to $90,148. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 93101 compare to other ZIPs in California?

ZIP 93101 is one of the pricier among California ZIP codes for rent, ranking #230 of 898 at $3,332/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 93101 changed +2.8%, against a typical +3.2% across the 819 California ZIP codes Zillow tracks.