Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County | |
|---|---|
| County of Santa Barbara | |
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Images, from top down, left to right: the Santa Barbara County Courthouse; Lake Cachuma; Vandenberg Space Force Base's main gate; along Foxen Canyon Road, running between the Santa Maria and Santa Ynez Valleys; Danish-styled Solvang | |
Interactive map of Santa Barbara County | |
Location in the state of California | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | California Central Coast |
| Incorporated | February 18, 1850 |
| Named after | The city of Santa Barbara, which was named for Saint Barbara |
| County seat | Santa Barbara |
| Largest city | Santa Maria (population) Santa Barbara (area) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–CEO |
| • Body | Board of Supervisors |
| • Chair | Laura Capps |
| • Vice Chair | Bob Nelson |
| • Board of Supervisors | Supervisors
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| • County executive officer | Mona Miyasato |
| Area | |
• Total | 3,789 sq mi (9,810 km2) |
| • Land | 2,735 sq mi (7,080 km2) |
| • Water | 1,054 sq mi (2,730 km2) |
| Highest elevation | 6,803 ft (2,074 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 448,229 |
• Estimate (2024) | 444,500 |
| • Density | 120/sq mi (46/km2) |
| GDP | |
| • Total | $36.081 billion (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific Time Zone) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time) |
| Area codes | 661, 805/820 |
| Congressional district | 24th |
| Website | countyofsb |
Santa Barbara County, officially the County of Santa Barbara (Spanish: Condado de Santa Bárbara), is a county located in Southern California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 448,229. The county seat is Santa Barbara, and the largest city is Santa Maria.
Santa Barbara County comprises the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Most of the county is part of the California Central Coast. Mainstays of the county's economy include engineering, resource extraction (particularly petroleum extraction and diatomaceous earth mining), winemaking, agriculture, and education. The software development and tourism industries are important employers in the southern part of the county.
Having a blend of both Southern and Northern California influences, Santa Barbara County often considered the cultural and geographical boundary between Southern California and Northern California.