Santa Cruz County, California Demographics 2026
Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology
Santa Cruz County, California has a population of 264,926, the 25th most populous county in California. The median household income is $111,093 and the median home value is $1,027,500. The poverty rate is 11.6%.
Santa Cruz County Quick Facts
How 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 | 273,962 | 264,926 | -3.3% |
| Median household income | $101,206 | $111,093 | +9.8% |
| Median home value¹ | $931,154 | $1,027,500 | +10.3% |
| Median gross rent | $2,113 | $2,264 | +7.1% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
- White: 53.9%
- Black: 0.7%
- Hispanic: 35.2%
- 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+)
- < HS: 11.4%
- HS Diploma: 15.2%
- Some College: 20.8%
- Associate's: 8.6%
- Bachelor's: 25.3%
- Graduate+: 18.6%
Cities & Places 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 |
| Live Oak (Santa Cruz County) | 16,911 | $103,674 | 12.9% | $1,015,200 |
| 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 |
| Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) | 5,073 | $90,087 | 10.6% | $959,100 |
| Boulder Creek | 4,632 | $84,156 | 7.1% | $849,900 |
| Felton | 4,093 | $123,056 | 3.6% | $900,500 |
| Day Valley | 3,579 | $155,000 | 4.1% | $1,279,300 |
| Seacliff | 3,299 | $130,385 | 5.5% | $1,143,600 |
| Freedom | 3,172 | $93,750 | 7.3% | $755,300 |
| Bonny Doon | 3,149 | $144,813 | 16.2% | $1,201,900 |
| Amesti | 2,818 | $108,833 | 13.5% | $879,400 |
| La Selva Beach | 2,302 | $160,833 | 9.2% | $1,325,700 |
| Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley | 2,127 | $158,788 | 7.8% | $1,185,000 |
| Corralitos | 1,884 | $171,113 | 7.4% | $2,000,000+ |
| Brookdale | 1,378 | $87,358 | 14.0% | $881,700 |
| Mount Hermon | 939 | $157,604 | 1.1% | $1,003,100 |
| Lompico | 788 | $91,600 | 10.9% | $631,600 |
| Pasatiempo | 610 | $215,469 | 1.8% | $1,627,800 |
| Paradise Park | 470 | $54,500 | 0.0% | N/A |
| Davenport | 403 | $72,171 | 7.2% | $946,400 |
| Zayante | 399 | $182,857 | 1.8% | $863,600 |
| Pajaro Dunes | 143 | $112,500 | 0.0% | $1,750,000 |
Explore California Rankings
Population Overview
Santa Cruz County is located in California with a total population of 264,926. It is the 25th most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 30 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Santa Cruz County is 39.8 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Santa Cruz County is $111,093. This is 12% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 38% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.6%. This is 3% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 6.1%. This is 7% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $1,027,500. Housing costs are 40% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 9.2x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 59.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 55.9%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Santa Cruz County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 53.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 35.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (53.9% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (4.7%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.
Education
43.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 19% 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 88.6%. Notably, 18.6% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Santa Cruz County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Santa Cruz County, California?
Santa Cruz County has a population of 264,926, making it the 25th most populous county in California.
What is the median income in Santa Cruz County?
The median household income in Santa Cruz County is $111,093 with a poverty rate of 11.6%.
How many cities are in Santa Cruz County, California?
Santa Cruz County contains 30 Census-designated places.