| City | Rank | 2026 Pop. ↓ | 2020 Pop. | Annual Change | Density (/mi²) | Area (mi²) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | 1 | 111,689 | 109,789 | 0.27% | 4,896 | 23 | City |
| Santa Barbara | 2 | 85,946 | 88,753 | -0.55% | 4,410 | 19 | City |
| Lompoc | 3 | 43,098 | 44,388 | -0.5% | 3,708 | 12 | City |
| Goleta | 4 | 32,338 | 32,773 | -0.19% | 4,118 | 8 | City |
| Carpinteria | 5 | 12,629 | 13,246 | -0.82% | 4,880 | 3 | City |
| Guadalupe | 6 | 8,970 | 8,266 | 1.4% | 6,847 | 1 | City |
| Solvang | 7 | 5,909 | 6,110 | -0.59% | 2,437 | 2 | City |
| Buellton | 8 | 5,130 | 5,201 | -0.54% | 3,243 | 2 | City |
Santa Maria is the largest city in Santa Barbara County, with a population of 111,689.
Buellton is the smallest city in Santa Barbara County, with a population of 5,130.
There are 8 cities in Santa Barbara County, California.