Home Insurance in Santa Barbara County, California
Homes in Santa Barbara County carry a median value of $790,700 - 8% higher than the California median.
The typical home in Santa Barbara County was built around 1974. About 22% of homes were built before 1960, about 4 points below California's 27%. Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing.
In Santa Barbara County, the housing stock is 64% single-family homes, 22% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 5% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 63% of owner-occupied homes in Santa Barbara County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
The vacancy rate is 7%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 52% of occupied homes in Santa Barbara County are owner-occupied.
Most homes in Santa Barbara County - 69% - are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists earthquake (Relatively High), wildfire (Relatively High) and inland flooding (Relatively High) as the leading hazards for Santa Barbara County. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Santa Barbara County had 3,738 active National Flood Insurance Program policies as of September 2026. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in California is $1,655 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $790,700 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1974 |
| Owner-occupied share | 52% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 63% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Earthquake (Relatively High), Wildfire (Relatively High), Inland Flooding (Relatively High) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 3,738 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,655 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)