FY2027 Fair Market Rent · California
Santa Barbara County Fair Market Rent & Income Limits
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Santa Barbara County, CA is $3,106 a month, down 0.6% from FY2026. The area median family income is $118,600, and a family of four counts as low income up to $145,700 a year.
Fair Market Rent by unit size
FY2027 FY2026
Fair Market Rents are gross rents: rent plus the cost of all utilities except phone, cable and internet.
Check your household
Enter your household size and total yearly income before taxes to see which HUD income category it falls in for Santa Barbara County, CA.
Low income (80% limit)
A household of 4 earning $143,700 is under the 80% limit of $145,700 for this area. At 30% of income it could pay about $3,592 a month for rent and utilities.
This is a quick comparison with HUD's published limits, not an eligibility decision. Programs count income in their own ways and many have waiting lists; the local housing agency or property decides.
Income limits in Santa Barbara County
HUD's FY2026 income limits for Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA are based on a median family income of $118,600. Programs such as Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing and HOME use the 30%, 50% and 80% columns; Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties use the 50% and 60% Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits.
| People | Extremely low30% / poverty | Very low50% | 60% (LIHTC)MTSP | Low income80% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38,300 | $63,750 | $76,500 | $102,000 |
| 2 | $43,750 | $72,850 | $87,420 | $116,600 |
| 3 | $49,200 | $81,950 | $98,340 | $131,150 |
| 4 | $54,650 | $91,050 | $109,260 | $145,700 |
| 5 | $59,050 | $98,350 | $118,020 | $157,400 |
| 6 | $63,400 | $105,650 | $126,780 | $169,050 |
| 7 | $67,800 | $112,950 | $135,540 | $180,700 |
| 8 | $72,150 | $120,200 | $144,240 | $192,350 |
Rent history
Since FY2017 the two-bedroom FMR here has gone from $1,555 to $3,106, up 99.7% over ten years. HUD has published a two-bedroom FMR for this area since FY1983, when it was $468.
What it takes to afford the rent
To keep a two-bedroom rent of $3,106 at no more than 30% of income, the usual affordability rule, a household needs about $124,200 a year. That is 105% of the area median family income of $118,600, so even a median-income family would spend more than 30% of its income on it.
| Unit | FY2027 | FY2026 | FY2025 | Income to affordat 30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,479 | $2,459 | $2,381 | $99,200 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,711 | $2,746 | $2,688 | $108,400 |
| 2 bedrooms | $3,106 | $3,124 | $3,028 | $124,200 |
| 3 bedrooms | $3,990 | $4,075 | $4,011 | $159,600 |
| 4 bedrooms | $4,557 | $4,647 | $4,468 | $182,300 |
How Santa Barbara County compares
Santa Barbara County makes up the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area on its own, so HUD's metro figures and the county figures are the same.
Santa Barbara County has the 7th highest two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of the 58 counties in California; the population-weighted average across California is $2,632 and the nationwide average is $1,751.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code
HUD also publishes Small Area Fair Market Rents for each ZIP code. In Santa Barbara County the two-bedroom figure ranges from $2,820 to $4,360 across 40 ZIP codes, against the area-wide $3,106. This area is not on HUD's list of mandatory Small Area FMR areas, so most agencies here use the area-wide FMR; an agency may still opt in to ZIP-level rents.
| ZIP | Place | 2 BR SAFMR | 110% payment std. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 93109 | Santa Barbara | $4,360 | $4,796 |
| 93111 | Santa Barbara | $4,220 | $4,642 |
| 93460 | Santa Ynez | $4,180 | $4,598 |
| 93101 | Santa Barbara | $3,850 | $4,235 |
| 93437 | Lompoc | $3,720 | $4,092 |
| 93108 | Santa Barbara | $3,690 | $4,059 |
| 93105 | Santa Barbara | $3,630 | $3,993 |
| 93103 | Santa Barbara | $3,620 | $3,982 |
| 93441 | Los Olivos | $3,560 | $3,916 |
| 93110 | Santa Barbara | $3,540 | $3,894 |
| 93429 | Casmalia | $3,450 | $3,795 |
| 93013 | Carpinteria | $3,430 | $3,773 |
| 93067 | Summerland | $3,430 | $3,773 |
| 93455 | Santa Maria | $3,410 | $3,751 |
| 93106 | Santa Barbara | $3,360 | $3,696 |
| 93117 | Goleta | $3,360 | $3,696 |
| 93427 | Buellton | $3,250 | $3,575 |
| 93014 | Carpinteria | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93102 | Santa Barbara | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93116 | Goleta | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93118 | Goleta | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93120 | Santa Barbara | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93121 | Santa Barbara | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93130 | Santa Barbara | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93140 | Santa Barbara | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93150 | Santa Barbara | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93160 | Santa Barbara | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93190 | Santa Barbara | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93199 | Goleta | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93438 | Lompoc | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93456 | Santa Maria | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93457 | Santa Maria | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93464 | Solvang | $3,110 | $3,421 |
| 93440 | Los Alamos | $2,980 | $3,278 |
| 93458 | Santa Maria | $2,890 | $3,179 |
| 93254 | New Cuyama | $2,820 | $3,102 |
| 93434 | Guadalupe | $2,820 | $3,102 |
| 93454 | Santa Maria | $2,820 | $3,102 |
| 93436 | Lompoc | $2,820 | $3,102 |
| 93463 | Solvang | $2,820 | $3,102 |
Questions
What is the Fair Market Rent in Santa Barbara County, CA for 2027?
For FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027) HUD's Fair Market Rents in Santa Barbara County, CA are $2,479 for a studio, $2,711 for one bedroom, $3,106 for two bedrooms, $3,990 for three and $4,557 for four bedrooms, per month including utilities.
What is the area median income in Santa Barbara County, CA?
HUD's FY2026 median family income for the area is $118,600, up 4.7% from $113,300 in FY2025.
What is 80% of AMI in Santa Barbara County, CA for a family of 4?
The FY2026 low-income limit (80%) for a household of four is $145,700 a year. The very low-income limit (50%) is $91,050 and the extremely low-income limit is $54,650.
What is the 60% AMI limit for tax credit housing in Santa Barbara County, CA?
Under HUD's FY2026 Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits, the 60% limit is $76,500 for one person and $109,260 for four.
Is the Fair Market Rent the same as the Section 8 payment standard?
No. Housing agencies set their payment standard between 90% and 110% of the FMR (for a two-bedroom here: $2,795 to $3,417), and can ask HUD for exceptions. Check the payment standard with your local housing agency.