HousingPermits

Metro area in California

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

The Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area authorized 1,371 new housing units in 2025. Permits rose 83% between 2024 and 2025, the largest increase among the 85 metro areas of 250,000 to 499,999 residents. Its 2025 total reached 92% of the 2004 high, the second-closest to a series peak among the 48 metro areas based in the Pacific states.

04008001,2001,6002004: 1,499 units (950 single-family, 270 in 2–4 unit, 279 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,050 units (763 single-family, 104 in 2–4 unit, 183 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 873 units (690 single-family, 69 in 2–4 unit, 114 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 711 units (470 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 189 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 405 units (222 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 170 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 226 units (186 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 25 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 400 units (229 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 141 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 231 units (134 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 69 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 461 units (255 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 192 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 405 units (370 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 19 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 755 units (372 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 351 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,082 units (411 single-family, 119 in 2–4 unit, 552 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 842 units (455 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 380 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,280 units (832 single-family, 37 in 2–4 unit, 411 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 928 units (631 single-family, 136 in 2–4 unit, 161 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,175 units (631 single-family, 90 in 2–4 unit, 454 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,027 units (479 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 521 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,152 units (534 single-family, 43 in 2–4 unit, 575 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,096 units (376 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 689 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 471 units (360 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 750 units (481 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 249 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,371 units (433 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 936 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 1,4992009 low · 22606001,2001,8002004: 1,499 units (950 single-family, 270 in 2–4 unit, 279 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,050 units (763 single-family, 104 in 2–4 unit, 183 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 873 units (690 single-family, 69 in 2–4 unit, 114 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 711 units (470 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 189 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 405 units (222 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 170 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 226 units (186 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 25 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 400 units (229 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 141 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 231 units (134 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 69 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 461 units (255 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 192 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 405 units (370 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 19 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 755 units (372 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 351 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,082 units (411 single-family, 119 in 2–4 unit, 552 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 842 units (455 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 380 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,280 units (832 single-family, 37 in 2–4 unit, 411 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 928 units (631 single-family, 136 in 2–4 unit, 161 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,175 units (631 single-family, 90 in 2–4 unit, 454 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,027 units (479 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 521 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,152 units (534 single-family, 43 in 2–4 unit, 575 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,096 units (376 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 689 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 471 units (360 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 750 units (481 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 249 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,371 units (433 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 936 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 1,499

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 8 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Santa Maria, with 2,371 units or 49% of the total, followed by Santa Barbara County (unincorporated) with 1,241. Among the three largest, Santa Maria put 67% of its units in five-plus buildings, Santa Barbara 32%.

  • Santa Maria49% (2,371 units)
  • Santa Barbara County (unincorporated)26% (1,241 units)
  • Santa Barbara9.5% (461 units)
  • Goleta6% (290 units)
  • Guadalupe4.1% (197 units)
  • Lompoc3.6% (172 units)
  • Carpinteria1.6% (77 units)
  • Solvang0.6% (31 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Houses or apartments

In Santa Maria, 45% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 52% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Columbus, OH (52% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 17%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2025 (936), single-family houses in 2004 (950).

2021–202545.1%45%2.6%52.3%52%2004–200670.2%70%12.9%13%16.8%17%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202545.1%45%2.6%52.3%52%2004–200670.2%70%12.9%13%16.8%17%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Relative to population

With 442,065 residents in July 2025, Santa Maria authorized 2.2 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are New Orleans (2.2) and Waterloo (2.2).

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Reading, Manchester, Vallejo. Annual permits fell from 1,499 during the mid-2000s boom to 226 in 2009, a drop of 85%. The nearest bust profile in the Pacific states was Medford's (85%). The 2021–2025 pace of 968 units a year is 15% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Salem, OR1,4264.649%
Ocala, FL5,98514.89%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA1,3712.252%
Reading, PA5821.026%
Savannah, GA5,3719.026%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Santa Maria beside Ocala

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: California. Counting rules.