Population 5,951 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Las Positas
Household size in Las Positas
| Period | Las Positas | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.52 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.68 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.57 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.52 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.13 | −0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in Las Positas has 2.53 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.40, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Las Positas
| Period | Las Positas | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.5 | 41.5 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 50.0 | 41.3 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 50.7 | 42.5 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 52.4 | 43.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Las Positas skews older: half of its residents are older than 52.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 50.5, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Las Positas
| Period | Las Positas | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 9.2% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 9.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 10.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | +1.1 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Las Positas: 3.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 4.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Las Positas
Renters in Las Positas
| Period | Las Positas | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.7% | 48.6% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.6% | 50.5% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.1% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.8% | 52.1% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +3.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Las Positas rent their homes (34.8%), the same as the national share. Renters make up a smaller share here than in Santa Barbara overall (52.1%). More than four in ten owners (44.6%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged up 1.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Las Positas
| Period | Las Positas | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 8.4% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 8.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.4% | 7.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Las Positas than nationally: 12.4%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 5.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Las Positas
| Period | Las Positas | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1962 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1964 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1964 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1966 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Las Positas is a place of older homes: half were built before 1968, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the southwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Las Positas
| Period | Las Positas | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,815 | $1,544 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,955 | $1,642 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,349 | $2,088 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,292 | $2,707 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,478 | +$1,163 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Las Positas runs $3,292 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,478 a month from 2006–10, an 81% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 40.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Las Positas
Bachelor's degrees in Las Positas
| Period | Las Positas | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.3% | 43.1% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 64.3% | 44.6% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.9% | 49.1% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 60.0% | 51.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.7 pts | +8.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Las Positas: 60.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 8.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Las Positas
| Period | Las Positas | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.2% | 85.5% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.1% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.9% | 87.5% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.7% | 89.6% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +4.1 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Las Positas: 94.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Las Positas
| Period | Las Positas | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 6.1% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 6.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 3.7% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 5.2% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −0.9 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Las Positas than nationally: unemployment was 3.8%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Las Positas compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Positas | 2.53 | 52.4 | 3.6% | 34.8% | 12.4% | 1968 | $3,292 | 60.0% | 94.7% | 3.8% |
| Upper State | 2.31 | 48.3 | 6.3% | 47.4% | 9.3% | 1966 | $2,662 | 59.0% | 93.9% | 5.1% |
| Westside-Santa Barbara | 2.69 | 34.6 | 15.7% | 75.4% | 7.8% | 1965 | $2,384 | 38.6% | 80.2% | 7.8% |
| Mesa | 2.38 | 47.9 | 8.7% | 40.6% | 7.8% | 1964 | $2,812 | 61.0% | 96.2% | 6.3% |
| Waterfront | 2.04 | 39.1 | 15.2% | 80.7% | 10.1% | 1968 | $2,504 | 48.3% | 90.0% | 5.6% |
| Lower East | 2.70 | 37.1 | 12.6% | 70.0% | 4.8% | 1962 | $2,351 | 36.7% | 80.2% | 5.0% |
| Riviera | 2.43 | 46.1 | 7.3% | 35.6% | 8.1% | 1963 | $2,675 | 62.6% | 92.6% | 2.7% |
| Eastside Santa Barbara | 2.99 | 41.0 | 15.0% | 56.3% | 1.6% | 1951 | $2,712 | 30.9% | 79.7% | 5.9% |
| Sea View Estates | 3.87 | 30.8 | 27.4% | 31.6% | 6.6% | 1982 | $1,907 | 25.0% | 78.9% | 5.7% |
| Via Marina | 2.71 | 44.9 | 2.8% | 39.2% | 10.0% | 1976 | $2,317 | 34.2% | 85.1% | 6.9% |
| Sierra Linda | 4.07 | 29.1 | 25.5% | 62.5% | 4.2% | 1970 | $1,897 | 10.0% | 67.5% | 8.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Mt. Baker, Seattle, WA · Southside, Huntington, WV · Southeast Como, Minneapolis, MN · Southeast, Brentwood, TN · South Los Altos, Los Altos, CA · Somerset, Glendale, CA · Side Creek, Aurora, CO · Nor Este, Albuquerque, NM · Natomas Creek, Sacramento, CA · St Jean, Detroit, MI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Las Positas. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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