Santa Cruz County, CA

County

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2023 Population

266,021

0.949% 1-year decline

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Adam Schiff

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

39.6

1.02% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

11.2%

1.45% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$109,266

4.65% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$1.02M

6.72% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

133,217

0.661% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Santa Cruz County, CA had a population of 266k people with a median age of 39.6 and a median household income of $109,266. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Santa Cruz County, CA declined from 268,571 to 266,021, a −0.949% decrease and its median household income grew from $104,409 to $109,266, a 4.65% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Santa Cruz County, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (54.6%), Other (Hispanic) (15.9%), Two+ (Hispanic) (9.54%), White (Hispanic) (8.23%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.51%).

None of the households in Santa Cruz County, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

90.5% of the residents in Santa Cruz County, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Santa Cruz County, CA are University of California-Santa Cruz (5,445 degrees awarded in 2023), Cabrillo College (2,541 degrees), and Five Branches University (194 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Santa Cruz County, CA was $1.02M, and the homeownership rate was 60%.

Most people in Santa Cruz County, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Santa Cruz County, CA was 2 cars per household.

Santa Cruz County, CA borders Monterey County, CA, San Benito County, CA, San Mateo County, CA, and Santa Clara County, CA.

About the photo: Santa Cruz, CA

Photo by _quintin_

United States California Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

Population & Diversity

Santa Cruz County, CA is home to a population of 266k people, from which 90.5% are citizens. As of 2023, 17.7% of Santa Cruz County, CA residents were born outside of the country (47.1k people).

In 2023, there were 3.44 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (145k people) in Santa Cruz County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 42.2k Other (Hispanic) and 25.4k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

90.5%

2023 Citizenship

90.5%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 90.5% of Santa Cruz County, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Santa Cruz County, CA was 90.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Santa Cruz County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Santa Cruz County, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
145k ± 509
Other (Hispanic)
42.2k ± 2.12k
Two+ (Hispanic)
25.4k ± 2.16k

35%

Hispanic Population

93.1k people

35% of the people in Santa Cruz County, CA are hispanic (93.1k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Santa Cruz County, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,899,021 ± 46,015 people
Philippines
824,230 ± 22,055 people
China
685,370 ± 20,148 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,899,021 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,230 and China with 685,370.

Foreign-Born Population

17.7%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

47.1k people

17.4%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

46.8k people

As of 2023, 17.7% of Santa Cruz County, CA residents (47.1k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Santa Cruz County, CA was 17.4%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Santa Cruz County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,072 ± 443
Gulf War (2001-)
1,240 ± 254
Gulf War (1990s)
732 ± 200

Santa Cruz County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.28 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Santa Cruz County, CA employs 133k people. The largest industries in Santa Cruz County, CA are Educational Services (17,456 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (15,950 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (13,183 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($110,943), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($99,638), and Information ($97,571).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $75,777. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

133k

2023 Value

± 3,003

−0.661%

1 Year decline

± 3.22%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Santa Cruz County, CA declined at a rate of −0.661%, from 134k employees to 133k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Santa Cruz County, CA, are Management Occupations (17,254 people), Sales & Related Occupations (12,246 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,737 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Santa Cruz County, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

133k

2023 Value

± 3,003

−0.661%

1 Year decline

± 3.22%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Santa Cruz County, CA declined at a rate of −0.661%, from 134k employees to 133k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Santa Cruz County, CA, are Educational Services (17,456 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (15,950 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (13,183 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Santa Cruz County, CA, though some of these residents may live in Santa Cruz County, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$62,034

Median earning men ± $2,517

$42,660

Median earning women ± $2,197

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($119,343), Public Administration ($103,210), and Manufacturing ($100,717).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Information ($96,589), Public Administration ($80,745), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($63,918).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

697
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
598
Construction
472
Health Care and Social Assistance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$973k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$595k
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$455k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Santa Cruz County, CA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 78.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (18.6%), followed by Other (1.35%).

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (78.9%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (18.6%)
Republican Party
Other (1.35%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Santa Cruz County, CA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 78.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (18.6%), followed by Other (1.35%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Santa Cruz County, CA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Adam Schiff

Senator from California

Assumed office on December 8, 2024
Elected to the seat to succeed Laphonza Butler, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2023, universities in Santa Cruz County, CA awarded 8,267 degrees. The student population of Santa Cruz County, CA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 13,849 male students and 15,627 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Santa Cruz County, CA are White (3,008 and 39.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (2,646 and 34.4%), Asian (1,225 and 15.9%), and Two or More Races (553 and 7.19%).

The largest universities in Santa Cruz County, CA by number of degrees awarded are University of California-Santa Cruz (5,445 and 65.9%), Cabrillo College (2,541 and 30.7%), and Five Branches University (194 and 2.35%).

The most popular majors in Santa Cruz County, CA are Computer Science (749 and 9.06%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (748 and 9.05%), and General Psychology (589 and 7.12%).

The median tuition cost in Santa Cruz County, CA for a public four year colleges is $11,834 for in-state students and $42,611 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Santa Cruz County, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 62.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 10.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 29,476 (47% men and 53% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 29,476 students enrolled in Santa Cruz County, CA, 47% men and 53% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 10,193 records, of which 59.5% were women and 40.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Business & Managerial Economics
280 degrees awarded
Computer Science
658 degrees awarded
General Psychology
499 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Santa Cruz County, CA was Business & Managerial Economics with 280 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Santa Cruz County, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of California-Santa Cruz
5,445 degrees awarded
Cabrillo College
2,541 degrees awarded
Five Branches University
194 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of California-Santa Cruz with 5,445 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 3,876 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Santa Cruz County, CA, which is 0.883 times less than the 4,391 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,008 degrees mean that there were 1.14 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 2,646 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($11,834) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,726) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($2,250) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2022, 2.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.26% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Some college (6.9M), High School or Equivalent (6.8M), and Bachelors Degree (6.36M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Santa Cruz County, CA was $1.02M in 2023, which is 3.35 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $951,300 to $1.02M, a 6.72% increase. The homeownership rate in Santa Cruz County, CA is 60%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Santa Cruz County, CA have an average commute time of 26.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Santa Cruz County, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Santa Cruz County, CA is $109,266. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Santa Cruz County, CA was Census Tract 1222.02 with a value of $194,643, followed by Census Tract 1208 and Census Tract 1212, with respective values of $173,153 and $171,471.

In 2023, 26.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Santa Cruz County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.03%.

Housing

Property

$1.02M

Median Property Value 2023

±$15,187

$58,102

Median Property Taxes

±$1,534

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Santa Cruz County, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Santa Cruz County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

60%

Homeownership

2023

66.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 60% of the housing units in Santa Cruz County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 60%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Santa Cruz County, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 1222.02
Census Tract 1208
Census Tract 1212

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Santa Cruz County, CA was Census Tract 1222.02 with a value of $194,643, followed by Census Tract 1208 and Census Tract 1212, with respective values of $173,153 and $171,471.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Santa Cruz County, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$109,266

Median Household Income

± $2,959

96.9k

Number of Households

± 2,467

In 2023, the median household income of the 96.9k households in Santa Cruz County, CA grew to $109,266 from the previous year's value of $104,409.

The following chart displays the households in Santa Cruz County, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Santa Cruz County, CA is from California.

0.498

2022 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

In 2022, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.107% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (63.4%)
Worked At Home (17.6%)
Carpooled (8.48%)

In 2023, 63.4% of workers in Santa Cruz County, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (17.6%) and those who carpooled to work (8.48%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

26.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Santa Cruz County, CA have a shorter commute time (26.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.95% of the workforce in Santa Cruz County, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Santa Cruz County, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Santa Cruz County, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Santa Cruz County, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 26.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Santa Cruz County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.03%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

11.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Santa Cruz County, CA (28.6k out of 255k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Males 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Santa Cruz County, CA is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 12.3% of the children was living in poverty in Santa Cruz County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 5.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.7% of the population of Santa Cruz County, CA has health coverage, with 49.1% on employee plans, 17.7% on Medicaid, 13.2% on Medicare, 14% on non-group plans, and 0.585% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Santa Cruz County, CA see 961 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.826% decrease from the previous year (969 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1169 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 109 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

961 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Santa Cruz County, CA

Primary care physicians in Santa Cruz County, CA see an average of 961 patients per year. This represents a 0.826% decrease from the previous year (969 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Santa Cruz County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.2% under 18 years, 23.4% between 18 and 34 years, 37.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.31%

Uninsured

49.1%

Employer Coverage

17.7%

Medicaid

13.2%

Medicare

14%

Non-Group

0.585%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Santa Cruz County, CA declined by 2.06% from 5.42% to 5.31%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Santa Cruz County, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 30.6 in Santa Cruz County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Santa Cruz County, CA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 27.5% in Santa Cruz County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Santa Cruz County, CA.