I have lived in this area 2014-2022 (date of comment). Goleta is full of rich university students (even the "poor" ones are rich, with financial support, parents, resources to pay rent and eat, &c. Anyone truly poor would be forced to drop out or could not attend in the first place). Where I lived in an apartment complex there were many Maserati, Porsche, and other $100K+ vehicles. Lots of foreign (also rich families) students as well. To answer the question how does anyone live here who works for $18-$23/hr, you work constantly, taking overtime shifts, and you live cheaply. The hustle is kind of insane, and it makes it hard to build friendships/connections with anyone other than those you work with, since that is what you are constantly doing. The upsides to this are that if you do work really hard, you can make more and save more than you would working really hard in a lower-return economy. You can also get opportunities here from the money flowing everywhere, if you hustle adamantly and are innovative. Many people I work with are commuting from an hour away like Oxnard or Santa Maria.
Boop | Santa Barbara, CA | Report Abuse

Hi I'm thinking of moving to this area in 2020 because a friend lives near there, however it says the average income is $75,000 and the highest I see myself making there is $18 to $23/hour which is like $38,000 to I don't know what...not much higher than that... and the places I've called say the rent is close to $4,000 per month.. just the rent... how does anyone live there who works in a kitchen or is a home health aide??? It seems it would be impossible unless one was homeless. Too bad. Is California only for the rich? Maybe all the lower wage people crowd together in apartment to make it.
schnarf | Pompano Beach, FL | Report Abuse