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U.S. Census reveals largest racial groups in each Central Coast County

May 31, 2023

By KAREN VELIE

The Central Coast of California has an almost even number of Hispanic people and white people, according to data the U.S. Census Bureau released last week. The data also includes information on income, housing and nation of origin.

Of the four counties that comprise the Central Coast – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Ventura – Hispanic people are the largest racial group in only Monterey County. SLO County has the highest percentage of white people.

Santa Barbara County

  • American Indian and Alaska Native: 9,633 – 2.1%
  • Asian 26,549 – 5.9%
  • Black or African American: 7,374 – 1.6%
  • Hispanic or Latino: 210,584 – 47%
  • White: 224,748 – 50.1%

Total Population: 448,229

San Luis Obispo County

  • American Indian and Alaska Native: 3,159 – 1.1%
  • Asian 10,402 – 3.7%
  • Black or African American: 4,610 – 1.6%
  • Hispanic or Latino: 67,921 – 24%
  • White: 198,338 – 70.2%

Total Population: 282,424

Monterey County

  • American Indian and Alaska Native: 12,781 – .3%
  • Asian 26,680 – 6.1%
  • Black or African American: 9,943 – 2.3%
  • Hispanic or Latino: 265,321 – 60.4%
  • White: 158,879 – 36.2%

Total Population: 439,035

Ventura County

  • American Indian and Alaska Native: 14,573 – 1.7%
  • Asian 64,923 – 7.7%
  • Black or African American: 15,330 – 1.8%
  • Hispanic or Latino: 365,285 – 43.3%
  • White: 428,677 – 50.8%

Total Population: 439,035

Researchers also found that Ventura County residents have the highest medium income, while San Luis Obispo County residents have the lowest on the Central Coast. SLO County residents have the highest rate of home ownership.

Santa Barbara County

Medium annual household income – $84,846

Home ownership rate – 51.9%

Medium monthly gross rent – $1,859

Foreign born residents – 22.1%

San Luis Obispo County

Medium annual household income – $80,615

Home ownership rate – 63.3%

Medium monthly gross rent – $1,716

Foreign born residents – 9.9%

Monterey County

Medium annual household income – $82,163

Home ownership rate – 50.9%

Medium monthly gross rent – $1,767

Foreign born residents – 29%

Ventura County

Medium annual household income – $96,454

Home ownership rate – 65.2%

Medium monthly gross rent – $2,032

Foreign born residents – 21.8%

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Does this report show where the groups live?

Do we have “pockets” of racial group neighbors or not?

I am concerned about cities using districting to actually deny such voters a voice. Districts do not help a group with a small number to elect one of their own. Only with city wide voting for Council members would small numbers of any group elect one of their own.


1

If we are truly color blind and segregation free, why do we categorize racial groups? Do we not have equal performance based access to higher education? Why not count left handed people, credit scores and net worth of seniors, all of which has nothing to do with race? We will likely learn that the general public out performs the government.


32

Gee Whiz-with over 1/5th of residents in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Monterey Counties being foreign born residents and there being a housing shortage, doesn’t that give you the slightest hint of the cause of the housing crisis? Or are we just going to ignore the gigantic elephant in the room and not talk about the cause of it since it is “racist”?


40

Ridiculous! Prices are high here because it is an excellent place to live with limited new supply and INTERNATIONAL demand, a la Santa Barbara.

Instead of griping, do everything you can do to buy in! In a study I conducted in Goleta on a three bedroom two bath single family residence from 1965 to 2012 the rate of annual appreciation was 7 1/4 percent per year. The study was of a home circa 1962 that was not updated or renovated.


-22

These Counties with higher foreign born populations also claim a higher “median” income than SLO. Go figure.


It would be nice if race could explain it all away. It doesn’t. It is a “tell” though for those who try.


3

The thing with the census is, I have always thought that a city with a large university student population tends to skew the results for income and employment, e.g. the city of SLO only have a 58.6% employment rate.


Of course that employment rate tends to be lower for SLO since we have a higher number of retired residents.


2