Watsonville, CA

Census Place

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2022 Population
52,457
0.961% 1-year decline
US Senator
Alex Padilla
Democratic Party
US Senator
Laphonza Butler
Democratic Party
2022 Median Age
33
6.11% 1-year increase
2022 Poverty Rate
13.8%
6.79% 1-year increase
2022 Median Household Income
$72,295
7.89% 1-year growth
2022 Median Property Value
$630,100
16.1% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, Watsonville, CA had a population of 52.5k people with a median age of 33 and a median household income of $72,295. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Watsonville, CA declined from 52,966 to 52,457, a −0.961% decrease and its median household income grew from $67,007 to $72,295, a 7.89% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Watsonville, CA are Other (Hispanic) (40.3%), White (Hispanic) (22.6%), Two+ (Hispanic) (15.9%), White (Non-Hispanic) (13.2%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.73%).

None of the households in Watsonville, 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.

77.9% of the residents in Watsonville, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Watsonville, CA are CET-Watsonville (78 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2022, the median property value in Watsonville, CA was $630,100, and the homeownership rate was 44.1%.

Most people in Watsonville, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Watsonville, CA was 2 cars per household.

Population & Diversity

Watsonville, CA is home to a population of 52.5k people, from which 77.9% are citizens. As of 2022, 35.6% of Watsonville, CA residents were born outside of the country (18.7k people).

In 2022, there were 1.78 times more Other (Hispanic) residents (21.1k people) in Watsonville, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 11.9k White (Hispanic) and 8.34k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

77.9%
2022 Citizenship
75.7%
2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 77.9% of Watsonville, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Watsonville, CA was 75.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

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Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Watsonville, CA
  1. Other (Hispanic)
    21.1k ± 2.22k
  2. White (Hispanic)
    11.9k ± 1.85k
  3. Two+ (Hispanic)
    8.34k ± 1.39k
82.6%
Hispanic Population
43.3k people

In 2022, there were 1.78 times more Other (Hispanic) residents (21.1k people) in Watsonville, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 11.9k White (Hispanic) and 8.34k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

82.6% of the people in Watsonville, CA are hispanic (43.3k people).

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

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Foreign-Born Population

35.6%
2022 Foreign-Born Population
18.7k people
37.6%
2021 Foreign-Born Population
19.9k people

As of 2022, 35.6% of Watsonville, CA residents (18.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Watsonville, CA was 37.6%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

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Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    409 ± 166
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    149 ± 101
  3. Korea
    128 ± 100

Watsonville, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.74 times greater than any other conflict.

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Economy

The economy of Watsonville, CA employs 22.8k people. The largest industries in Watsonville, CA are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (3,285 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,760 people), and Retail Trade (2,668 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($115,859), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($88,300), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($80,074).

Occupations

22.8k
2022 Value
± 1,385
−1.1%
1 Year decline
± 8.83%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Watsonville, CA declined at a rate of −1.1%, from 23.1k employees to 22.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Watsonville, CA, are Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (2,629 people), Sales & Related Occupations (2,307 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,253 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Watsonville, CA.

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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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Employment by Industries

22.8k
2022 Value
± 1,385
−1.1%
1 Year decline
± 8.83%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Watsonville, CA declined at a rate of −1.1%, from 23.1k employees to 22.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Watsonville, CA, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (3,285 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,760 people), and Retail Trade (2,668 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Watsonville, CA, though some of these residents may live in Watsonville, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$42,697
Median earning men ± $2,861
$31,927
Median earning women ± $2,418

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Information ($78,220), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($65,711), and Public Administration ($65,278).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Information ($116,458), Public Administration ($64,228), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($58,864).

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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.

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Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.07%).

Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler 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.

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.
Alex Padilla
Senator from California3
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.
Laphonza Butler
Senator from California1
Assumed office on October 3, 2023
Appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler 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.

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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.

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Education

In 2022, universities in Watsonville, CA awarded 78 degrees. The student population of Watsonville, CA in 2022 is skewed towards men, with 58 male students and 45 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Watsonville, CA are Hispanic or Latino (74 and 94.9%), followed by White (2 and 2.56%), Black or African American (1 and 1.28%), and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders (1 and 1.28%).

The largest universities in Watsonville, CA by number of degrees awarded are CET-Watsonville (78 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Watsonville, CA are Welding Technology (25 and 32.1%), Building Construction Technology (23 and 29.5%), and Medical Assistant (21 and 26.9%).

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.

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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.

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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.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Watsonville, CA was $630,100 in 2022, which is 2.24 times larger than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $542,900 to $630,100, a 16.1% increase. The homeownership rate in Watsonville, CA is 44.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Watsonville, CA have an average commute time of 26.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Watsonville, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Property

$630,100
Median Property Value 2022
±$16,913
$6,710
Median Property Taxes
±$745

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 Watsonville, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

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Rent vs Own

44.1%
Homeownership
2022
63.7%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2022

In 2022, 44.1% of the housing units in Watsonville, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 44%.

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

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Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.
Race/Ethnicity

The following map shows all of the places in Watsonville, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$72,295
Median Household Income
± $7,353
15.2k
Number of Households
± 1,098

In 2022, the median household income of the 15.2k households in Watsonville, CA grew to $72,295 from the previous year's value of $67,007.

The following chart displays the households in Watsonville, 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 $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Watsonville, 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.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022
  1. Drove Alone (69.8%)
  2. Carpooled (16.6%)
  3. Worked At Home (6.03%)

In 2022, 69.8% of workers in Watsonville, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (16.6%) and those who worked at home (6.03%).

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.

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Commute Time

26.3 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Watsonville, CA have a shorter commute time (26.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 3.17% of the workforce in Watsonville, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

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

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Poverty & Diversity

13.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Watsonville, CA (7.16k out of 51.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 6 - 11, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 35 - 44.

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

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.

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Health

90.5% of the population of Watsonville, CA has health coverage, with 35.5% on employee plans, 36.8% on Medicaid, 8.07% on Medicare, 9.93% on non-group plans, and 0.231% 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.

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Santa Cruz County, CA.
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.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 31.2% under 18 years, 21% between 18 and 34 years, 35.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 12.1% 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.

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Uninsured People

9.48%
Uninsured
35.5%
Employer Coverage
36.8%
Medicaid
8.07%
Medicare
9.93%
Non-Group
0.231%
Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Watsonville, CA grew by 9.88% from 8.62% to 9.48%.

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

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