Buellton, California
Buellton, California | |
|---|---|
 Buellton, as seen from near Gaviota Peak in the Santa Ynez Mountains | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Buellton in Santa Barbara County, California. | |
  Buellton, California Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 34°36′51″N 120°11′38″W / 34.61417°N 120.19389°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Santa Barbara |
| Incorporated | February 1, 1992[1] |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | David Silva |
| • State senator | Monique Limón (D)[2] |
| • Assemblymember | Gregg Hart (D)[2] |
| • U. S. rep. | Salud Carbajal (D)[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.58 sq mi (4.10 km2) |
| • Land | 1.58 sq mi (4.10 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0.04% |
| Elevation | 358 ft (109 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 5,161 |
| • Density | 3,266.46/sq mi (1,258.78/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code | 93427 |
| Area code | 805 |
| FIPS code | 06-08758 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1667902 |
| Website | www |
Buellton is a small city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. It is located in the Santa Ynez Valley, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Solvang. The population was 5,161 at the 2020 census, up from 4,828 at the 2010 census.
Located at the junction of U.S. Route 101 and State Route 246, Buellton attracts many travelers. It is a town which is home to various hotels, restaurants, parks and shops. It may be most famous for its nickname “Home of Split Pea Soup,” which is a reference to the former Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant that shut down in 2024. Buellton traces its beginnings to 1867 when a portion of a Mexican land grant was deeded to Rufus T. Buell and his brother. They developed a successful cattle ranch in the 19th century.[6]
History
[edit]
Buellton is named for Rufus T. Buell, an early settler who owned the Rancho San Carlos de Jonata Mexican land grant.[7] It has been a minor tourist destination since the 1920s, and became increasingly popular after the opening of Pea Soup Andersen's in 1924.[8] This and an abundance of fuel, lodging and other traveler services led Buellton to adopt the nickname "Servicetown, USA."[9]
Buellton has also experienced increased notoriety due to the film Sideways (2004), which was filmed in Buellton and Solvang. The City has gained additional tourism due to many nearby wineries, two popular breweries, and the Flying Flags RV Resort.[10]
Geography
[edit]The town is surrounded by miles of open-space land in the Santa Ynez Valley, and borders the Santa Ynez River to the south. It is home to a library, one park, a golf course, fire station, Highway Patrol Office, a shopping plaza, 10 hotels and 18 restaurants.[8]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2), 99.96% of it land and 0.04% of it water.
It is a common stop for travelers on U.S. Highway 101, being the first town north of Santa Barbara after the scenic and undeveloped stretch of about 25 miles (40 km) through the Gaviota Coast.
Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1,402 | — | |
| 1980 | 2,364 | 68.6% | |
| 1990 | 3,506 | 48.3% | |
| 2000 | 3,828 | 9.2% | |
| 2010 | 4,828 | 26.1% | |
| 2020 | 5,161 | 6.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] | |||
The 2020 United States census reported that Buellton had a population of 5,161. The population density was 3,262.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,259.6/km2). The racial makeup of Buellton was 64.4% White, 0.7% African American, 1.6% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 13.6% from other races, and 17.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.5% of the population.
The whole population lived in households. There were 1,943 households, out of which 35.6% included children under the age of 18, 54.4% were married-couple households, 6.9% were cohabiting couple households, 22.1% had a female householder with no partner present, and 16.6% had a male householder with no partner present. 23.1% of households were one person, and 11.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.66. There were 1,356 families (69.8% of all households).
The age distribution was 23.8% under the age of 18, 6.2% aged 18 to 24, 24.4% aged 25 to 44, 27.9% aged 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.9 males.
There were 2,030 housing units at an average density of 1,283.2 units per square mile (495.4 units/km2), of which 1,943 (95.7%) were occupied. Of these, 68.5% were owner-occupied, and 31.5% were occupied by renters.[12][13]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that 62.3% of the population were born in California, 22.9% were born in a different state, 1.1% were born in a US territory or abroad to an American parent, and 13.8% were born outside US jurisdiction. Of those aged 5 or older, 80.5% spoke only English at home, 15.9% spoke Spanish, 3.1% spoke other Indo-European languages, 0.5% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 0.0% spoke other languages. Of those aged 25 or older, 94.0% were high school graduates and 40.1% had a bachelor's degree.[14]
The median household income was $96,028, and the per capita income was $46,257. About 2.0% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line.[15]
Education
[edit]Buellton has two schools which form the Buellton Union School District. Oak Valley Elementary School serves those students in kindergarten through 5th grade while Jonata Middle School serves grades 6 through 8.[16] The district serves approximately 600 students. In 2019, Jonata Middle School was named a California Distinguished School while the Buellton Union Elementary School District was named a California Exemplary District.[17]
The City is also served by the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District. Santa Ynez Valley High School is located in Santa Ynez.[18]
Public safety
[edit]The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office provides contract police services for Buellton, while the Santa Barbara County Fire Department acts as the local fire service through the Santa Barbara County Fire Protection District. California Highway Patrol operates an office in town. The crime rate is low.[8]
Politics and government
[edit]As of December 2024, the current mayor of Buellton is David Silva, who is serving his first term as elected Mayor.[19] Other members of the City Council include Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis, Councilmember John Sanchez and Councilmember Hudson Hornick. Mayor Silva’s District 4 Council Seat will be filled by special election in August 2025 due to the vacancy caused by his election to Mayor. The mayor is elected to a two-year term, while the City Councilmembers are elected by District elections to 4 year terms. The Vice Mayor is selected from among the City Councilmembers each year.
The City recently changed the electoral system for Councilmembers elected beginning in November 2022. From this point forward, Councilmembers will be elected by and from one of four districts, each with approximately 1,290 residents.
Transportation
[edit]Amtrak Thruway buses offer daily service to/from 237 East Highway 246 to Santa Barbara station, where they connect to Amtrak and FlixBus.[20]
Activities
[edit]OstrichLand USA
[edit]OstrichLand USA is a 33-acre (13 ha) ostrich and emu farm located in the Buellton area.[21] Visitors can view and feed the animals.
References
[edit]- ^ "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
- ^ a b "Statewide Database". UC Regents. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^ "California's 24th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ "Buellton". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^ Palmer, Norma E. (1994). Santa Barbara & Ventura Counties. Automobile Club of Southern California. Pages 67-68. ISBN 9781564131867.
- ^ Bright, William (1998). 1500 California Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
- ^ a b c McCormack, Don (1999). McCormack's Guides Santa Barbara and Ventura 2000. Mccormacks Guides. Page 48. ISBN 9781929365098.
- ^ Ramos, Julian J. (July 3, 2006). "Book illustrates history of 'Service Town USA'". Santa Maria Times. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
- ^ "Visit Buellton, CA in the Santa Ynez Valley - Skip the Big Cities in Wine Country". Discover Buellton. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Buellton city, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
- ^ "Buellton city, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
- ^ "Buellton city, California; CP02: Comparative Social Characteristics in the United States - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles". US Census Bureau. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "Buellton city, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles". US Census Bureau. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "Home". buelltonusd.org. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
- ^ Hodgson, Mike. "Jonata Middle School, Buellton Union School District earn state honors". Santa Ynez Valley News. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
- ^ "Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District". www.syvuhsd.org. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
- ^ "City Council - City of Buellton". City of Buellton. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
- ^ amtrak.com/stations/bul
- ^ Thornton, Stuart (2014). Moon Santa Barbara & the Central Coast. Avalon Publishing. Page 119. ISBN 9781612386997.
External links
[edit]
- Official website
- Buellton Historical Society Archived October 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- Buellton Union School District
- Pea Soup Andersen's
Municipalities and communities of Santa Barbara County, California, United States | ||
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