Live Oak (Santa Cruz County), California Demographics & Population 2026
Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology
During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Live Oak (Santa Cruz County), California had a total population of 16,911, the 383rd largest community in California, with a median household income of $103,674, which is 5% higher than the state average. The poverty rate is 12.9%.
Key Takeaways
- Housing affordability is a challenge — homes cost 9.8x the median household income.
Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) Quick Facts
How Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) Changed
Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.
| Metric | 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,837 | 16,911 | No clear change (+0.4%) |
| Median household income | $103,072 | $103,674 | No clear change (+0.6%) |
| Median home value¹ | $884,387 | $1,015,200 | +14.8% |
| Median gross rent | $2,364 | $2,421 | No clear change (+2.4%) |
How Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) Compares
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
- White: 55.8%
- Black: 1.1%
- Hispanic: 32.9%
- Asian: 4.7%
- Other: 0.7%
Diversity Index
A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.
State average: 70 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
- < High School: 11.2%
- HS Diploma: 17.4%
- Some College: 22.1%
- Associate's: 8.5%
- Bachelor's: 26.1%
- Graduate+: 14.7%
Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) Rankings in California
Explore California Rankings
Other Cities in Santa Cruz County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | 61,607 | $115,475 | 17.0% | $1,209,000 |
| Watsonville | 51,712 | $78,393 | 14.7% | $686,000 |
| Scotts Valley | 12,044 | $143,750 | 5.9% | $1,105,700 |
| Soquel | 10,679 | $118,777 | 9.7% | $957,300 |
| Capitola | 9,689 | $102,976 | 12.9% | $783,000 |
| Rio del Mar | 9,201 | $159,929 | 2.3% | $1,338,100 |
| Interlaken | 8,068 | $109,150 | 14.9% | $831,000 |
| Ben Lomond | 6,858 | $130,041 | 4.9% | $960,700 |
| Aptos | 6,404 | $134,048 | 5.9% | $1,093,300 |
| Pleasure Point | 5,489 | $119,821 | 8.9% | $1,183,600 |
Cities Similar to Live Oak (Santa Cruz County)
These cities in the same state have comparable population and economic profiles.
| City | Population | Median Income | Home Value | Bachelor's+ | Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South San Jose Hills | 16,911 | $94,806 | $544,400 | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Rancho Mirage | 17,563 | $107,364 | $807,200 | 48.6% | 11.7% |
| Fillmore | 16,816 | $92,931 | $602,500 | 15.8% | 7.0% |
| Nipomo | 17,516 | $110,022 | $723,700 | 25.0% | 5.7% |
| Rio Linda | 16,335 | $96,364 | $458,300 | 15.9% | 14.4% |
Population Overview
Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) is a small city located in California, within Santa Cruz County. The total population is 16,911. It ranks as the 383rd most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.
Age Demographics
The median age in Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) is 41.8 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) is $103,674. This is 5% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 28% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.9%. This is 7% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. This is 39% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $1,015,200. Housing costs are 38% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 9.8x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 58.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% higher than the state average of 55.9%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) is White (non-Hispanic), making up 55.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 32.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (55.8% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (4.7%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.
Education
40.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 10% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.8%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All demographic data for Live Oak (Santa Cruz County), California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.
Free data download: Get all California city and county demographics as CSV. Download Cities CSV | Download Counties CSV
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Live Oak (Santa Cruz County), California?
Live Oak (Santa Cruz County), California has a population of 16,911 according to the most recent U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
What is the median household income in Live Oak (Santa Cruz County), CA?
The median household income in Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) is $103,674, which is 28% higher than the national median of $80,734.
What is the poverty rate in Live Oak (Santa Cruz County), CA?
The poverty rate in Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) is 12.9%. This means approximately 2,155 residents live below the federal poverty line.
What is the racial makeup of Live Oak (Santa Cruz County), California?
Live Oak (Santa Cruz County)'s population is 55.8% White, 1.1% Black, 32.9% Hispanic/Latino, and 4.7% Asian.
What is the median home value in Live Oak (Santa Cruz County), CA?
The median home value in Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) is $1,015,200. The home-value-to-income ratio is 9.8x.
How educated is Live Oak (Santa Cruz County), California?
40.8% of adults (25+) in Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 14.7% hold a graduate or professional degree.