Population 13,773 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Riviera
Household size in Riviera
| Period | Riviera | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.52 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.68 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.57 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.43 | 2.52 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Riviera run small, averaging 2.43 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has crept up from 2.39 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the south 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 Riviera
| Period | Riviera | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.8 | 41.5 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.8 | 41.3 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.0 | 42.5 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.1 | 43.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.3 | +2.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.1, Riviera is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.8, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the northeast and oldest in the northwest.
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 Riviera
| Period | Riviera | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 9.2% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 9.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 10.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | +1.1 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Riviera: 7.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, 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 Riviera
Renters in Riviera
| Period | Riviera | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.0% | 48.6% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.0% | 50.5% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.3% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.6% | 52.1% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +3.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Riviera is about as common as it is nationally: 35.6% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in Santa Barbara overall (52.1%). Among owners, 36.0% have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 2.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Riviera
| Period | Riviera | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 8.4% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.9% | 8.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 7.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Riviera than nationally: 8.1%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Santa Barbara as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy has fallen 3.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Riviera
| Period | Riviera | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1962 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1964 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1964 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1966 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Riviera is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1963, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The picture is much the same across Santa Barbara. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the west.
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 Riviera
| Period | Riviera | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,379 | $1,544 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,687 | $1,642 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,382 | $2,088 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,675 | $2,707 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,295 | +$1,163 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Riviera costs $2,675 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,295 a month from 2006–10, a 94% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 29.7% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the northwest.
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 Riviera
Bachelor's degrees in Riviera
| Period | Riviera | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.4% | 43.1% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 55.9% | 44.6% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.6% | 49.1% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 62.6% | 51.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +8.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Riviera: 62.6% 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. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.2 points, 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 Riviera
| Period | Riviera | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.7% | 85.5% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.2% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.8% | 87.5% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.6% | 89.6% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +4.1 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Riviera have finished high school (92.6%), above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is little changed from 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 Riviera
| Period | Riviera | Santa Barbara | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 6.1% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 6.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 3.7% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.7% | 5.2% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Riviera has been low: just 2.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Riviera 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Lower East | 2.70 | 37.1 | 12.6% | 70.0% | 4.8% | 1962 | $2,351 | 36.7% | 80.2% | 5.0% |
| Waterfront | 2.04 | 39.1 | 15.2% | 80.7% | 10.1% | 1968 | $2,504 | 48.3% | 90.0% | 5.6% |
| 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% |
| Upper State | 2.31 | 48.3 | 6.3% | 47.4% | 9.3% | 1966 | $2,662 | 59.0% | 93.9% | 5.1% |
| Las Positas | 2.53 | 52.4 | 3.6% | 34.8% | 12.4% | 1968 | $3,292 | 60.0% | 94.7% | 3.8% |
| Sea View Estates | 3.87 | 30.8 | 27.4% | 31.6% | 6.6% | 1982 | $1,907 | 25.0% | 78.9% | 5.7% |
| South Bank | 3.47 | 33.0 | 12.9% | 54.5% | 2.7% | 1989 | $2,353 | 26.1% | 69.3% | 7.3% |
| 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: Archer Heights, Chicago, IL · Aurora Highlands, Arlington, VA · Radnor-Ft Myer Heights, Arlington, VA · North Stamford, Stamford, CT · Northwest Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX · Palolo, Honolulu, HI · Paradise Hills, Henderson, NV · Pine Grove, Chicago, IL · Pioneer Park, Las Vegas, NV · Pleasant Grove West, Chesapeake, VA
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 Riviera. 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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