Isla Vista is a city located in Santa Barbara County California. Isla Vista has a 2024 population of 13,326. Isla Vista is currently declining at a rate of -4.98% annually and its population has decreased by -15.3% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 15,733 in 2020.
The average household income in Isla Vista is $35,217 with a poverty rate of 72.45%. The median age in Isla Vista is 21.1 years: 21.4 years for males, and 20.9 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Isla Vista was:
White
Asian
Other race
Two or more races
Black or African American
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 4,762 | 2.77 | 1.4 | 98.6 |
| Non Family | 4,359 | 2.77 | 1.1 | 98.9 |
| Married | 173 | 3.24 | 5.8 | 94.2 |
| Female | 167 | 2.4 | 4.8 | 95.2 |
| Male | 63 | 3.03 | 0 | 100 |
2.81
Average Family Size
2.77
Average Household Size
1.4%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
The highest rate of high school graduation is among black people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among 2+ races people with a rate of 67.67%.
All
Male
Female
$37,319
Average Earnings
$36,475
Average Male
$39,605
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
73.11% of Isla Vista residents speak only English, while 26.89% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 11.25% of the population.
rate
72.45%
Overall Poverty Rate
66.08%
Male Poverty Rate
78.2%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Isla Vista is Black, with 81.1% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Isla Vista is Islander, with 30% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 17.39%. Among those working part-time, it was 76.75%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 86.79%.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
3.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
4.3%
Male Marriage Rate
2.9%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
18.75%
Veteran Poverty Rate
62.5%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
57.8%
Labor Force Participation
47.6%
Employment Rate
17.6%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
69.9%
Born in Isla Vista
86.31%
Native Born
13.69%
Foreign Born
11.28%
Non Citizen
2.41%
Naturalized
86.31% of Isla Vista residents were born in the United States, with 69.9% having been born in California. 11.28% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13,326 | -698 | -4.98% |
| 2023 | 14,024 | -698 | -4.74% |
| 2022 | 14,722 | -1,010 | -6.42% |
| 2021 | 15,732 | -1 | -0.01% |
| 2020 | 15,733 | -11,974 | -43.22% |
| 2019 | 27,707 | 17 | 0.06% |
| 2018 | 27,690 | 206 | 0.75% |
| 2017 | 27,484 | 305 | 1.12% |
| 2016 | 27,179 | 904 | 3.44% |
| 2015 | 26,275 | 1,483 | 5.98% |
| 2014 | 24,792 | 135 | 0.55% |
| 2013 | 24,657 | 155 | 0.63% |
| 2012 | 24,502 | 862 | 3.65% |
| 2011 | 23,640 | 544 | 2.36% |
| 2010 | 23,096 | 0 | 0% |