Median Income
$102,361
household / year
Median Home Value
$695,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$2,066
gross / month
Cost of Living
114
national avg = 100

Is Buellton, CA a Good Place to Live?

Buellton is a small town of 5,151 in California, with a median household income of $102,361 and a 2.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 114 (US average = 100), which is 14% above the national average.

Strengths: Buellton stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether Buellton is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Buellton city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 113.5

Buellton's overall cost of living index is 113.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Buellton costs roughly 14% more than the average American city.

Metric Buellton, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $695,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $2,066 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 64.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $102,361 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Buellton's violent crime rate is 243.2 per 100,000 residents — 36% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
243.2 /100k
Property Crime
1175.3 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Buellton is served primarily by Buellton Union Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Buellton, CA National Avg
School District Buellton Union Elementary —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 20.6:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 39.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 91.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Buellton sees average highs of 67.2°F in January and 92.1°F in July, with 16.7 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricBuellton, CA
Average High — January67.2°F
Average High — July92.1°F
Annual Precipitation16.7"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricBuellton, CANational Avg
Population5,151—
Median Age37.938.9
Unemployment Rate2.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time29.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)86.1%59.3%
Black or African American0.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino11.1%18.9%
Asian1.3%6.3%
Under 1823.2%22.2%
65 and over13.3%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Solvang, CA 3 mi Ballard, CA 5 mi Los Olivos, CA 5 mi Santa Ynez, CA 6 mi Los Alamos, CA 10 mi

ZIP Codes in Buellton

Buellton, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

93427

Buellton vs Other Cities

Buellton, CA vs Solvang, CA Buellton, CA vs Ballard, CA Buellton, CA vs Los Olivos, CA Buellton, CA vs Santa Ynez, CA Buellton, CA vs Los Alamos, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Buellton's cost of living index is 114, where 100 is the national average. That puts Buellton roughly 14% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $695,600 and median rent is $2,066/month.
Buellton's violent crime rate is 243.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1175.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Buellton are operated by Buellton Union Elementary. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.6:1. 39.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Buellton, CA has a population of 5,151, a median household income of $102,361, and an unemployment rate of 2.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Buellton averages 67.2°F in January and 92.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 16.7 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Buellton, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 93427.
The population of Buellton, California is 5,151 with a median age of 37.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Buellton: cost of living index 114 (100 = US average), median home $695,600, median household income $102,361, crime index 61 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Buellton side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.