Mission Canyon, California

For the Evan Delaney novel, see Meg Gardiner.

Mission Canyon
Unincorporated Community Census Designated Place
View of the Santa Ynez Mountains from a southernmost point of Mission Canyon (at the intersection of Mountain Dr. & Mission Ridge Rd.)
Location in Santa Barbara County and the state of California
Coordinates: 34°26′59″N119°42′59″W / 34.44972°N 119.71639°W / 34.44972; -119.71639
Country	United States
State	California
County	Santa Barbara
Government
•  State senator	Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R) [1]
•  Assemblymember	Gregg Hart (D) [1]
•  U. S. rep.	Salud Carbajal (D) [2]
Area [3]
• Total	1.830 sq mi (4.740 km2)
• Land	1.800 sq mi (4.662 km2)
• Water	0.030 sq mi (0.078 km2)  1.64%
Elevation [4]	633 ft (193 m)
Population  (2020) [5]
• Total	2,540
• Density	1,400/sq mi (540/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	93105
Area code	805
FIPS code	06-48147
GNIS feature ID	1853400

Mission Canyon is a census-designated place and an unincorporated suburb of Santa Barbara, California, in Santa Barbara County, United States. The population was 2,540 at the 2020 census, up from 2,381 at the 2010 census.

Mission Canyon is directly north — on the mountain side — of the city of Santa Barbara, and derives its name from the Mission Santa Barbara which is built between Mission Canyon and the center of the city. The canyon itself is one of the most dramatic in the Santa Ynez Mountains with the locally highest peak, La Cumbre Peak 3,988 ft (1,216 m) ^[6] at the top of the watershed, flanked by Cathedral Peak 3,336 ft (1,017 m) ^[7] and Arlington Peak 3,258 ft (993 m) ^[8] to the west, Pine Lookout and Rock Garden to the east, and rugged sandstone formations partially covered with chaparral on both sides of the creek.

State Route 192 (Foothill Road) bisects the southern portion of the area, running from east to west, and Mission Canyon Road passes through the area from north to south. Another major north–south artery is Tunnel Road, which leads to the trailhead for several popular hiking trails that originates from an area of medium density and semi-rural development at the canyon's northern extremity, and extends into Los Padres National Forest in the Santa Ynez Mountains. ^[9]

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is located in Mission Canyon.

Geography

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is in Mission Canyon; this view looks north up the canyon towards the headwaters near Cathedral Peak.

The approximate center of Mission Canyon is located at 34°26′59″N119°42′59″W / 34.44972°N 119.71639°W / 34.44972; -119.71639 (34.449797, -119.716315). ^[10] Situated along the southern facing slopes of the Santa Ynez Mountains, Mission Canyon measures some 1,122 acres comprising an estimated 1,141 parcels primarily consisting of single-family residential development, recreational, open space, and agricultural land uses; but however lacks any commercial or industrial development. Non residential features include the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Rocky Nook County Park, the Santa Barbara Woman's Club, and the Santa Barbara County Fire Department Fire Station 15. The topography of the neighborhood varies from relatively flat areas located south of Foothill Road to greater slopes north of Foothill Road, ranging in elevations from approximately 300 ft (91 m) to just over 1,000 ft (305 m) above sea level. ^[9]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²), of which 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) are land and 0.03 square miles (0.078 km²) (1.64%) is water.

Climate

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Mission Canyon has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps. ^[11]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
2000	2,610		—
2010	2,381		−8.8%
2020	2,540		6.7%
U.S. Decennial Census [12] 1860–1870 [13] [14] 1880-1890 [15] 1900 [16] 1910 [17] 1920 [18] 1930 [19] 1940 [20] 1950 [21] 1960 [22] 1970 [23] 1980 [24] 1990 [25] 2000 [26] 2010 [27]

Mission Canyon first appeared as a census designated place in the 2000 U.S. Census. ^[26]

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Mission Canyon had a population of 2,540. The population density was 1,411.1 inhabitants per square mile (544.8/km²). The racial makeup of Mission Canyon was 84.7% White, 0.4% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.5% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 2.8% from other races, and 9.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.5% of the population. ^[28]

The whole population lived in households. There were 1,041 households, out of which 20.5% included children under the age of 18, 51.8% were married-couple households, 6.5% were cohabiting couple households, 23.3% had a female householder with no partner present, and 18.3% had a male householder with no partner present. 26.4% of households were one person, and 14.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.44. ^[28] There were 674 families (64.7% of all households). ^[29]

The age distribution was 14.6% under the age of 18, 5.7% aged 18 to 24, 20.1% aged 25 to 44, 28.2% aged 45 to 64, and 31.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. ^[28]

There were 1,122 housing units at an average density of 623.3 units per square mile (240.7 units/km²), of which 1,041 (92.8%) were occupied. Of these, 76.4% were owner-occupied, and 23.6% were occupied by renters. ^[28]

2010

The 2010 United States Census ^[30] reported that Mission Canyon had a population of 2,381. The population density was 1,538.8 inhabitants per square mile (594.1/km²). The racial makeup of Mission Canyon was 2,193 (92.1%) White, 14 (0.6%) African American, 17 (0.7%) Native American, 40 (1.7%) Asian, 11 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 35 (1.5%) from other races, and 71 (3.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 198 persons (8.3%).

The Census reported that 2,372 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 9 (0.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 1,020 households, out of which 230 (22.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 547 (53.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 59 (5.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 20 (2.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 59 (5.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 14 (1.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 264 households (25.9%) were made up of individuals, and 97 (9.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33. There were 626 families (61.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.70.

The population was spread out, with 368 people (15.5%) under the age of 18, 100 people (4.2%) aged 18 to 24, 458 people (19.2%) aged 25 to 44, 973 people (40.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 482 people (20.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.

There were 1,075 housing units at an average density of 694.7 per square mile (268.2/km²), of which 782 (76.7%) were owner-occupied, and 238 (23.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.4%. 1,828 people (76.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 544 people (22.8%) lived in rental housing units.

References

1. "Statewide Database". UC Regents. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
2. "California's 24th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
3. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
4. "Mission Canyon". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved April 17, 2015.
5. "US Census Bureau". www.census.gov. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
6. "La Cumbre Peak". Washington, US: Peakbagger.com. 1987–2021. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
7. "Cathedral Peak, California". Washington, US: Peakbagger.com. 1987–2021. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
8. "Arlington Peak, California". Washington, US: Peakbagger.com. 1987–2021. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
9. Mission Canyon Community Plan (PDF) (Report). Santa Barbara, California: County of Santa Barbara Planning & Development Department: Long Range Planning Division. April 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
10. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
11. Climate Summary for Mission Canyon, California
12. "Decennial Census by Decade". United States Census Bureau .
13. "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
14. "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
15. "1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
16. "1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
17. "1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
18. "1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
19. "1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
20. "1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
21. "1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
22. "1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
23. "1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
24. "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
25. "1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
26. "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
27. "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
28. "Mission Canyon CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
29. "Mission Canyon CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
30. "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Mission Canyon CDP". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.