8 cities
| City | Rank | 2026 Pop. ↓ | 2020 Pop. | Annual Change | Density | Area (mi²) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | 1 | 112,128 | 109,782 | 0.35% | 4,916 | 23 | City |
| Santa Barbara | 2 | 86,552 | 88,768 | -0.42% | 4,441 | 19 | City |
| Lompoc | 3 | 43,294 | 44,193 | -0.35% | 3,725 | 12 | City |
| Goleta | 4 | 32,535 | 32,762 | -0.12% | 4,144 | 8 | City |
| Carpinteria | 5 | 12,693 | 13,242 | -0.71% | 4,905 | 3 | City |
| Guadalupe | 6 | 8,989 | 8,226 | 1.43% | 6,862 | 1 | City |
| Solvang | 7 | 5,926 | 6,111 | -0.52% | 2,444 | 2 | City |
| Buellton | 8 | 4,953 | 5,162 | -0.7% | 3,131 | 2 | City |
Santa Maria is the largest city in Santa Barbara County, with a population of 112,128.
Buellton is the smallest city in Santa Barbara County, with a population of 4,953.
There are 8 cities in Santa Barbara County, California.