QuakeIndex

Every recorded earthquake near

Earthquakes near Santa Barbara, CA

M 2.5

Latest: 4:43 pm PDT on 2 April 2026 · 23 km (14 mi) ESE of Santa Barbara, CA

The most recent earthquake of M2.5 or more near Santa Barbara was M 2.5, 23 km (14 mi) ESE of Santa Barbara, CA, at 4:43 pm PDT on 2 April 2026. 23 people reported feeling it to USGS. 6 smaller earthquakes have been recorded nearby since; the newest is first in the list below.

Within 30 km since 2016
299 earthquakes of M1.5 or more
In the last 12 months
26
Largest since 2016
M 4.1 on 16 May 2017, 28 km (17 mi) W of Santa Barbara, CA
Reported felt
96 of them have felt reports to USGS

USGS · feed checked · newest earthquake in our database · this page

The latest 50

  1. 2.0 25 km (15 mi) SSE of Santa Barbara, CA
  2. 1.8 13 km (8 mi) E of Santa Barbara, CA
  3. 1.5 19 km (12 mi) ESE of Santa Barbara, CA
  4. 1.5 22 km (14 mi) ESE of Santa Barbara, CA
  5. 2.1 14 km (9 mi) SSW of Santa Barbara, CA
  6. 1.5 13 km (8 mi) E of Santa Barbara, CA
  7. 2.5 23 km (14 mi) ESE of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 23
  8. 2.1 13 km (8 mi) E of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 1
  9. 2.8 22 km (14 mi) ESE of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 14
  10. 1.6 26 km (16 mi) SSE of Santa Barbara, CA
  11. 1.6 24 km (15 mi) SSE of Santa Barbara, CA
  12. 1.8 22 km (13 mi) ESE of Santa Barbara, CA
  13. 2.9 22 km (14 mi) ESE of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 120
  14. 2.2 28 km (17 mi) E of Santa Barbara, CA
  15. 1.6 29 km (18 mi) E of Santa Barbara, CA
  16. 1.7 5 km (3 mi) SSE of Santa Barbara, CA
  17. 1.8 32 km (20 mi) SW of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 1
  18. 1.9 27 km (17 mi) ENE of Santa Barbara, CA
  19. 1.8 22 km (14 mi) SE of Santa Barbara, CA
  20. 1.5 22 km (14 mi) SW of Santa Barbara, CA
  21. 2.3 19 km (12 mi) ESE of Santa Barbara, CA
  22. 1.8 22 km (14 mi) SE of Santa Barbara, CA
  23. 2.9 20 km (12 mi) SE of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 1
  24. 1.5 21 km (13 mi) NNW of Santa Barbara, CA
  25. 1.6 17 km (11 mi) ESE of Santa Barbara, CA
  26. 2.2 14 km (9 mi) W of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 30
  27. 1.8 14 km (9 mi) W of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 2
  28. 2.7 16 km (10 mi) SW of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 52
  29. 1.8 20 km (12 mi) SSE of Santa Barbara, CA
  30. 2.3 20 km (13 mi) SSE of Santa Barbara, CA
  31. 2.0 20 km (12 mi) S of Santa Barbara, CA
  32. 1.6 26 km (16 mi) ESE of Santa Barbara, CA
  33. 1.8 21 km (13 mi) S of Santa Barbara, CA
  34. 2.9 4 km (3 mi) W of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 59
  35. 1.8 4 km (3 mi) WNW of Santa Barbara, CA
  36. 2.2 5 km (3 mi) WNW of Santa Barbara, CA
  37. 2.3 4 km (3 mi) W of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 3
  38. 1.7 21 km (13 mi) SSE of Santa Barbara, CA
  39. 2.2 15 km (9 mi) E of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 2
  40. 2.3 17 km (11 mi) SW of Santa Barbara, CA
  41. 2.3 17 km (11 mi) SW of Santa Barbara, CA
  42. 2.9 18 km (11 mi) SSW of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 18
  43. 1.6 16 km (10 mi) SW of Santa Barbara, CA
  44. 1.7 13 km (8 mi) SSE of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 1
  45. 2.9 17 km (11 mi) SW of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 73
  46. 2.2 16 km (10 mi) SSE of Santa Barbara, CA
  47. 1.6 46 km (29 mi) NNE of Santa Barbara, CA
  48. 1.7 11 km (7 mi) N of Santa Barbara, CA
  49. 2.0 11 km (7 mi) N of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 1
  50. 1.6 14 km (9 mi) ENE of Santa Barbara, CA · felt by 1

From the QuakeIndex database, which reads the USGS feed every 30 seconds and holds the USGS catalogue for the US from 2016 (M1.5+). Times are Santa Barbara time. Distances are from the town centre. Quakes USGS named after Santa Barbara are listed even when they are further out.

On the map

The white circle is Santa Barbara; dots are the 50 most recent earthquakes within 30 km. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Before 2016

The USGS record since 1900 lists 6 earthquakes of M5 or more within 50 km of Santa Barbara; the five largest:

  1. 6.8 The 1925 Santa Barbara, California Earthquake · 16 km SW of Santa Barbara
  2. 5.5 10 km NE of Toro Canyon, California · 20 km ENE of Santa Barbara
  3. 5.5 The 1941 Santa Barbara, California Earthquake · 16 km SE of Santa Barbara
  4. 5.1 The 1978 Santa Barbara, California Earthquake · 12 km S of Santa Barbara
  5. 5.0 10 km NE of Toro Canyon, California · 20 km ENE of Santa Barbara

USGS ComCat, M5+ from 1900 to 2016. This is the record, not a forecast.

Nearest mapped faults

USGS Quaternary Fault and Fold Database. Near is not the same as on.

Nearby towns

Montecito 6 km · Goleta 12 km · Isla Vista 15 km · Carpinteria 17 km

If you felt one

QuakeIndex does not issue warnings or forecasts. For earthquake early warning see ShakeAlert and the MyShake app.