Neighborhood · Santa Barbara, CA

The Mesa Eviction Risk: Elevated

3 census tracts · pop 11,391 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 6/10 · range 4.9–6.5

The Mesa is a white (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Santa Barbara with 3 census tracts and a population of 11,391 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 6/10 (Elevated tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 58% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 37% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $2,731/month sits 13% higher than the Santa Barbara citywide average ($2,413).

Risk score

Elevated

3 tracts · population-weighted

The Mesa vs Santa Barbara How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

58.0% +74%

Santa Barbara: 33.4%

Average gross rent

$2,731 +13%

Santa Barbara: $2,413

Average HH income

$128,937 +27%

Santa Barbara: $101,672

Poverty rate

13.9% +6%

Santa Barbara: 13.1%

Renter share

46.4% -23%

Santa Barbara: 60.1%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across The Mesa and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 3 tracts span score 4.9–6.5

Why The Mesa scores 6

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 6.8–6.8 across tracts

6.8

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 6.6–6.6 across tracts

6.6

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 6.9–6.9 across tracts

6.9

Rent control risk

58% of income on rent · Range 7.7–7.7 across tracts

7.7

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 6.7–6.7 across tracts

6.7

Tenant organizing strength

46% renter households · Range 9.6–9.6 across tracts

9.6

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 7.0–7.0 across tracts

7.0

Economic stress

13.9% below poverty line · Range 1.0–4.9 across tracts

3.6

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 3.4–4.8 across tracts

4.0

Risk score comparison

The Mesa vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Variance across tracts

How uniformly does eviction risk play out in The Mesa?

Left: distribution of constituent tract scores. Right: every tract as a heat square. Click any square to drill in.

Score distribution

0246810

Spread of 1.6 points from 4.9 to 6.5. Moderate variation across constituent tracts.

Tracts as heat grid

6.5 6.4 4.9

Each square = one census tract. Color tracks the same green→red ramp as the chloropleth map above.

Census tracts

3 tracts in The Mesa

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
06083001203	6.5	3,535	50%	$2,662
06083001208	6.4	4,206	60%	$2,954
06083001308	4.9	3,650	64%	$2,540

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 48

Pop-weighted across 3 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 47%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 35%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 38%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 61%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in The Mesa

Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.

9.1%Housing insecurity
5.3%Utility shutoff threat
10.6%Food insecurity
9.9%SNAP enrollment
5.9%No health insurance
28.6%Any disability

Frequently asked

About The Mesa

What is the eviction-risk score for The Mesa?

The Mesa scores 6/10 (Elevated tier) across 3 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does The Mesa compare to Santa Barbara overall?

The Mesa scores 2.1 points lower than Santa Barbara overall (8.1/10). Renters spend 58% of income on rent vs 33% citywide. Average rent: $2,731 vs $2,413.

What is the average rent in The Mesa?

Average gross rent in The Mesa is $2,731/month (pop-weighted across 3 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 58% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of The Mesa residents are renters?

46% of The Mesa households are renter-occupied (vs 60% in Santa Barbara). The neighborhood has 11,391 residents.

Is The Mesa a high social-vulnerability area?

The Mesa sits in the 48th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (less vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

Which tracts in The Mesa have the highest eviction risk?

The highest-risk constituent tract in The Mesa is census tract 06083001203 (score 6.5/10). Across the 3 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 4.9 to 6.5, a spread of 1.6 points.

How safe is The Mesa for landlords?

The Mesa carries a elevated-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (6/10). Pop-weighted across 3 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Santa Barbara as a whole (8.1/10), this neighborhood is lower-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of The Mesa?

The Mesa has 11,137 residents (White (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (73%), Hispanic / Latino (17.6%), Other / Multiracial (5.6%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near The Mesa

6.5 Westside 7 tracts · pop 28,341 7.5 Funk Zone 3 tracts · pop 7,284 5.8 Upper State 4 tracts · pop 15,095 6.8 East Side 2 tracts · pop 9,441 3.5 Las Positas 3 tracts · pop 13,932 7.2 65 Block 3 tracts · pop 13,335

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Santa Barbara

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to The Mesa.

5.7 Upper State 4 tracts · pop 15,095 6.3 Westside 7 tracts · pop 28,341 6.8 Waterfront 1 tracts · pop 3,969 6.9 East Side 2 tracts · pop 9,441 5 Riviera 1 tracts · pop 5,470 7.7 Funk Zone 3 tracts · pop 7,284

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