City of Goleta Enters National Race for America’s Favorite Small Town Title

The City of Goleta has received national attention after being nominated in a nationwide contest celebrating small towns across the United States.

Goleta was nominated in Parade x Steller’s ‘America’s Favorite Small Towns’ contest, the city announced in a social media post on January 8, 2026. 

“This nationwide recognition shines a spotlight on Goleta’s beautiful coastline, local businesses, outdoor spaces, and strong community spirit,” the City said in the post on X.

The City is encouraging residents and supporters to vote to help Goleta advance in the contest. Voting is open to the public and limited to once per day, according to the post.

The City of Goleta has been officially nominated in Parade × Steller’s “America’s Favorite Small Towns” contest! This nationwide recognition shines a spotlight on Goleta’s beautiful coastline, local businesses, outdoor spaces, and strong community spirit. 🌟

How to Vote for the… pic.twitter.com/pdsuDFTO77

— City of Goleta (@CityOfGoleta) January 9, 2026

Each vote also enters participants into a national giveaway for a trip valued at up to $1,500, according to the post.

To vote for Goleta, participants can visit the competition website, select West Region, choose California, and then select the City of Goleta. Participants can enter their email and submit their vote, according to the post. 

Voting for America’s Favorite Small Towns is currently open and will continue through spring, the post said. 

State-level winners will be announced on June 1, 2026, and the national winner will be announced on June 12, 2026. 

Finalists will be featured in Parade Magazine’s ‘Favorite Small Towns in America’ special print issue, the contest’s website stated. 

The winning town will enjoy a Parade x Steller activation at its July 4 celebrations, which will include a potential celebrity involvement, sponsor giveaways, and national media coverage. 

The winning town will also get a special ‘Favorite Small Town in America’ badge and signage to showcase their achievement, the website added. 

The City of Goleta thanked Visit Santa Barbara, the region’s official destination marketing organization, for nominating the city. 

Parade and Steller present the competition, which honors towns with populations under 250,000 that showcase the nation’s charm, character, and community spirit.

Whether through history, culture, natural beauty, or neighborly spirit, the contest identifies the places that “make America truly special.”

Located along California’s Central Coast, Goleta is home to around 32,600 residents and a growing entrepreneurial business community. Often called as ‘the Good Land of Santa Barbara,’  Goleta sits on a coastal plain between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, about 10 miles west of the City of Santa Barbara in southern Santa Barbara County.

The city offers a variety of family-friendly activities and outdoor recreational opportunities within a roughly 10-mile stretch of coastal and agricultural land, according to Visit Santa Barbara.