What is the rental yield in Upper State, Santa Barbara, California?

The gross yield in Upper State, Santa Barbara, California is 2.9%. Prices are about 14% below the city median and 101% above the state median, while prices were flat at -0.2% over the past year. The Red Flag score is 54, walkability is 76, and education is in the 27th percentile.

How does Upper State, Santa Barbara, California compare with Santa Barbara?

Upper State, Santa Barbara, California is priced about 14% below the Santa Barbara median and has a 2.9% gross yield. Over the past year, prices were flat at -0.2%. The neighborhood also has walkability of 76, a Red Flag score of 54, and education in the 27th percentile.

What are the main strengths and risks in Upper State, Santa Barbara, California?

The main strength in Upper State, Santa Barbara, California is walkability of 76. The main risk is the 2.9% gross yield, alongside a Red Flag score of 54. Prices are about 14% below the city median but 101% above the state median, with education in the 27th percentile.

Neighborhood

Upper State

Santa Barbara, California US

Upper State, Santa Barbara, California has a balanced but cautious investment profile. Prices are about 14% below the city median but 101% above the state median, while gross yield is 2.9%. Over the past year, prices were flat at -0.2%. The neighborhood has a Red Flag score of 54, walkability of 76, and education in the 27th percentile, combining solid walkability with a moderate overall risk score.

AI Summary•Updated May 2026

Area

3.19 mi²

ZIP Code

93105

County

Santa Barbara County

State

California

Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesWashU ACAG — satellite PM2.5EPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024

Verified Price · Median Sale

$1,756,478

YoY-0.2%

Gross Rental Yield

2.9%

Listed rent · ZORI annualized

Red Flag Index

Moderate

54 / 100

Walkability Score

Very Walkable

OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile

Education Score

27 / 100

Limited · better than 27% of U.S. districts

Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy

AI Score

Fair

DistrictScore attractiveness · national model

Upper State Property Prices & Rental Yield

Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for Upper State, Santa Barbara.

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Market Economics Snapshot

May 2026

Metric	Value	YoY
Median Sale Price	$1,756,478	-0.2%
Price / Sq Ft (Verified)	$1,126/sqft	+4.8%
Asking Rent (Median)	$4,233/mo	-2.6%
Gross Rental Yield	2.9%	—
Liquidity Score	28 / 100	Low
Homes Sold (Period)	77	+63.8%

Is Upper State Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk

FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited California crime context.

Red Flag Breakdown

54 / 100

Moderate Risk

Composite is weighted by expected impact — frequent low-damage hazards (hail, wind) weigh less than flood or wildfire.

Flood100Very High

Earthquake100Very High

Wildfire60High

Hurricane20Low

Tornado20Low

Heat20Low

Strong Wind20Low

Hail20Low

8/8 hazards scored · FEMA NRI v1.20

Crime (state-level): California averaged 25.6 crimes and 4.9 violent per 1,000 residents (-8.9% YoY) in 2024(FBI UCR). Compare the state to the country, not states as a ranking — full Safety & Crime data lives on the state page.

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Tract-level hazard heatmap & parcel detail with Pro

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What Stands Out AI Insight

Highly walkable neighborhood — score 76/100

Active transaction volume — 77 homes sold last period

Dense amenities — 45 dining & 11 grocery options nearby

Flood risk is Very High (100/100)

Earthquake risk is Very High (100/100)

Insights are generated from Upper State's live DistrictScore metrics.

Upper State Environment & Safety

Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (California-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.

Air Quality — PM2.5

2015–2024

5.5 µg/m³ Meets EPA, above WHO guideline-10.1% since 2015

EPA 9WHO 5

20152024

Annual mean fine-particle (PM2.5) concentration at the Upper State centroid, satellite-derived (ACAG). References: WHO guideline 5 µg/m³ · EPA annual standard 9 µg/m³. Latest year ranks worse than 36% of U.S. neighborhoods.

California Crime Trend

FBI UCR

20132024

All crimes / 1k

Violent / 1k

Year	Crimes / 1k	Violent / 1k	YoY
2024	25.6	4.9	-8.9%
2023	28.3	5.1	-0.7%
2022	28.6	5.0	+8.0%
2021	26.5	4.8	+1.9%
2020	25.8	4.4	-7.3%
2019	27.8	4.4	—

Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; Upper State inherits the California figures.

Radon Potential

EPA

Zone 1

Zone 1 — Highest potential · Upper State

EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.

Environmental Hazards

EPA / BTS

Industrial odor6 nearbyVery High

Point-source screening near Upper State: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.

Walkability & Amenities in Upper State

Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.

Walkability & Amenities

OpenStreetMap POI

76

Very Walkable

Walkability Score

11

Grocery

45

Dining

13

Schools

0

Universities

15

Hospitals

2

Pharmacies

13

Parks

0

Rail Transit

0

Coworking

POI counts are amenities within Upper State's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.

Upper State vs Santa Barbara vs California

How Upper State benchmarks against its city and state medians.

Benchmark vs City & State

Across Upper State, the median sale price sits about 14% below the median for Santa Barbara neighborhoods and about 101% above the statewide median. Gross rental yield is 2.9%, against 2.7% for Santa Barbara neighborhoods and 3.7% statewide. Over the past 12 months, prices were broadly flat. Transaction liquidity sits above the median for Santa Barbara neighborhoods and in line with the statewide median.

Area	Median / Sq Ft	Gross Yield	Liquidity
Upper State	$1,126/sqft	2.9%	28
Santa Barbara	$1,303/sqft	2.7%	20
California	$559/sqft	3.7%	28

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Buying Property in the US as a Foreigner

Federal & California tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.

Buying as a Foreigner

US Tax & Ownership

Applies to everyone7

Capital Gains (Federal)

Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).

Property Tax

Property tax: ~0.69% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).

State Income Tax

State income tax up to 13.3%; rental income is taxed at these rates.

State Capital Gains

Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at state rates.

Transfer Tax

Real estate transfer tax: documentary transfer tax $0.55 per $500 + local.

Assessment Cap

Prop 13 caps assessed-value growth at 2%/yr; property is reassessed to market value when you buy.

Mansion Tax / Rent Control

No statewide mansion tax (LA has a local one); statewide rent control caps increases at 5%+CPI (AB 1482).

US citizens & tax residents8

Primary-Home Exclusion

Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.

1031 Like-Kind Exchange

A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.

Depreciation Recapture

Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).

Mortgage Interest Deduction

Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).

Opportunity Zones

Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.

Rental Income (Resident)

Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.

Senior & Veteran Exemptions

Disabled-veteran property-tax exemption (~$161,083 in 2025, more if low-income); senior programs available.

1031 State Conformity

California conforms to 1031 but claws back deferred CA-source gain (Form FTB 3840) if you move out of state.

Foreign buyers (non-residents)5

FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)

FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.

Non-Resident Capital Gains

Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.

Non-Resident Rental Tax

Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).

Estate Tax (Non-Resident)

Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.

ITIN Requirement

Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.

Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor

FIRPTA, ITIN & California property-tax guidance for foreign buyers

Latest Santa Barbara Real-Estate News

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Guaranteed Rate • Jun 18, 2026

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Eye On Housing • Jun 18, 2026

U.S. commercial property prices hit record as deal patterns shift

Altus Group • Jun 18, 2026

Upper State Real Estate FAQ

Upper State, Santa Barbara, California has a mixed profile. Prices are about 14% below the city median but 101% above the state median, gross yield is 2.9%, and prices were flat at -0.2% over the past year. The Red Flag score is 54, with walkability of 76 and education in the 27th percentile.

Neighborhoods near Upper State

Compare Upper State with nearby neighborhoods in Santa Barbara.

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