Despite living in one of California’s wealthiest counties, many young Santa Barbara County residents continue to face significant social and economic barriers that impact their ability to thrive. These challenges are particularly prevalent in the Northern Santa Barbara County cities of Santa Maria and Lompoc, home to many low-income, farm-working, recently-arrived immigrant, and working-class communities. As of 2024, 7 out of 10 Lompoc high schoolers and 8 out 10 Santa Maria high schoolers were classified as low-income, homeless, foster youth, or English-language-learner student—vulnerable youth populations facing higher barriers to high school graduation and dropout rates (Ed-Data 2025).

This research brief draws from 852 surveys conducted with Northern Santa Barbara County young adult residents, aged 18-34, from the Thriving Youth Study collected in 2024. Based on youth-led participatory action research methods, the study focuses on young adults’ educational aspirations, high school experiences, and pathways to civic engagement after high school.

Published by the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center.