Isla Vista is an unincorporated community located in Santa Barbara County, California, in the United States. It is officially defined as a census-designated place (CDP) and had a recorded population of 15,500 as of the 2020 census.
The beachside community is situated on a flat plateau at an elevation of approximately 30 feet (9 meters), separated from the shoreline by a bluff. The majority of the local residents are students attending either the University of California, Santa Barbara, or Santa Barbara City College.