Goleta, California

Goleta, California

Introduction to Goleta, California

The city of Goleta is located in southern Santa Barbara County's Goleta Valley on the central coast of California, approximately 8 miles northwest of Santa Barbara and 90 miles north of Los Angeles. Nestled between Los Padres National Forest's Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, the city is serviced by U.S. Route 101 and is close to California State Highway 154.

The name "Goleta" (Spanish for small ship or schooner) officially appeared on the landscape in 1875 with the establishment of a local post office. The name was chosen because of the original land grant (La Goleta) which defined the area. Around the turn of the 20th century, the Southern Pacific Railroad established rail lines through the area, and in the 1930s a local airport was built. The airport was expanded and improved with Navy funds during World War II, when it became part of the Marine's Flying Leatherneck base. After the war, the airport was turned over to the City of Santa Barbara and later annexed to that city as their airport. The area's landscape, characterized by farms, dairies and ranches, changed in the 1950s concurrent with the arrival of the University of California campus and the establishment of many aerospace companies. The former farming region began a transformation to a high technology research area and an urban bedroom community. Often referred to as "Silicon Beach", Goleta Valley today is characterized by high technology, including diversified electronics, telecommunications, and remote sensing manufacturing industries. After many years of being the largest unincorporated area in the county, Goleta was finally incorporated as a city in 2002.

Goleta Attractions

Historical sites in Goleta include the Stow House, an 1872 structure stocked with period furnishings. The grounds include the Goleta History Museum, a working Blacksmith Shop, a Maritime Museum and Carriage House. Also in Goleta is the South Coast Railroad Museum, whose waiting rooms have been restored and are open to the public. The city's premiere annual event is the Goleta Lemon Festival. The event, held on two weekend days in October, was at various times in its history known as the Goleta Magnolia Festival, Goleta Valley Fair, and Goleta Valley Days Festival. In 1992 the festival acquired its present name owing to the long history of the lemon industry in the Goleta Valley and variety of delicious recipes available using lemons. The festival is now a total community event with local service clubs providing food booths featuring all things lemon, including lemonade, lemon cake, lemon chicken, lemon yogurt and even a Lemon Pie Baking and Eating Contest.

High Points

Goleta strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in California):

Category	Trophy
Short Commute Times (vs. State)	Top 5%
Walking and Biking to Work (vs. Peers)	Top 8%

Comparative Profile of Goleta, CA

Comparing Goleta to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in California (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Male Share of the Population
Well-Paid Single Men
Age of the Population
Racial Diversity
Well-Paid Single Women
Senior Citizens
Female Share of the Population
Children Under 5 Years Old

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Average Household Size
Portion of People Married

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
College Educated Adults
Median Family Income
People in Middle Class or Better
People Above Poverty

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Working at Home
Walking and Biking to Work
Short Commute Times
Public Transportation Use

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Housing Recently Built
People Living Alone
Affordability of Property Taxes
Affordability of Rents

Goleta Almanac

Goleta Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Goleta Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Political Contributions (2004)

Money donated by Goleta residents to parties and candidates for the 2004 elections.

by Political Party

by Presidential Candidate

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Goleta, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Starbucks in Goleta

Goleta High Schools (2004)

DOS PUEBLOS SENIOR HIGH
7266 ALAMEDA AVE.
805-968-2541
Serves 2,273 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 23.8

DOS PUEBLOS CONTINUATION HIGH
7268 ALAMEDA AVE.
805-685-7899
A Non-traditional School
Serves 50 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 25

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