Santa Maria, CA housing market
The typical Santa Maria home is worth about $666,000, up 3.7% in a year, 13% below the California typical home. Homes typically sell in 19 days, a little above asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Santa Maria compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Santa Maria at a glance
A strong seller's market
Homes are selling faster than new ones are listed: less than two months of supply. Well-priced homes can draw several offers.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Santa Maria | California |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $371,000 | $453,000 |
| 2018 | $392,000 | $501,000 |
| 2019 | $407,000 | $539,000 |
| 2020 | $422,000 | $551,000 |
| 2021 | $471,000 | $607,000 |
| 2022 | $548,000 | $703,000 |
| 2023 | $585,000 | $727,000 |
| 2024 | $628,000 | $758,000 |
| 2025 | $648,000 | $782,000 |
| 2026 | $650,000 | $767,000 |
| August 2026 | $666,000 | $764,000 |
594 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 594 new homes in Santa Maria in 2025: 148 single-family houses and 446 in buildings with two or more homes, worth about $61.6 million to build. That's 5.4 per 1,000 residents, faster than across California (2.7). Over the past 10 years, Santa Maria has permitted 4,282 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Santa Maria gained 10,154 residents while 2,525 new homes were permitted: about 4 new residents per new home. Population grew faster than building, so existing homes filled up: a sign of tight supply. Across California: 2.7 new residents per new home.
How Santa Maria ranks on housing keeping up with growth →
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 336 | 175 | 161 | $58.3 million |
| 2025 | 594 | 148 | 446 | $61.6 million |
| 2024 | 188 | 178 | 10 | $41.6 million |
| 2023 | 166 | 158 | 8 | $19.8 million |
| 2022 | 831 | 129 | 702 | $93.9 million |
| 2021 | 592 | 132 | 460 | $61.9 million |
| 2020 | 461 | 120 | 341 | $47 million |
| 2019 | 489 | 110 | 379 | $50.9 million |
| 2018 | 171 | 158 | 13 | $29.3 million |
| 2017 | 516 | 320 | 196 | $86 million |
| 2016 | 274 | 202 | 72 | $66.1 million |
| 2015 | 437 | 155 | 282 | $119.7 million |
| 2014 | 344 | 130 | 214 | $52.2 million |
| 2013 | 61 | 59 | 2 | $13.4 million |
| 2012 | 38 | 36 | 2 | $8.3 million |
| 2011 | 42 | 22 | 20 | $6.7 million |
| 2010 | 153 | 15 | 138 | $19.6 million |
| 2009 | 11 | 8 | 3 | $1.8 million |
| 2008 | 28 | 22 | 6 | $5.3 million |
| 2007 | 317 | 146 | 171 | $48.1 million |
| 2006 | 210 | 180 | 30 | $38.5 million |
| 2005 | 317 | 300 | 17 | $54.1 million |
| 2004 | 766 | 642 | 124 | $124.8 million |
| 2003 | 934 | 672 | 262 | $144.3 million |
| 2002 | 974 | 627 | 347 | $135.9 million |
| 2001 | 594 | 592 | 2 | $96.2 million |
| 2000 | 333 | 333 | 0 | $51.5 million |
How Santa Maria ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Santa Maria and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $666K | +3.7% | $3,050 | 594 | $84,746 |
| Orcutt | — | +4.7%† | $3,410 | — | $111,416 |
† FHFA price index change, where Zillow has no home value for the town.
7.9 years of income
The typical Santa Maria home costs about 7.9 years of the town's median household income, about the same as across California (7.7).
How Santa Maria ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $3,050
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Santa Maria is $3,050 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Santa Maria pay a median of $1,925, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 43% of the town's median household income, above the 30% guideline for affordable housing.
Studio $2,400 · 4 bedrooms $4,520
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (93454, 93455, 93458; Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.