Santa Cruz, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Santa Cruz is a mid-sized community located in California, within Santa Cruz County. The total population is 61,607. It ranks as the 149th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Santa Cruz is 31.1 years. This is 18% lower than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 11.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Santa Cruz is $115,475. This is 16% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 43% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.0%. This is 42% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 7.2%. This is 10% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $1,209,000. Housing costs are 65% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 10.5x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 48.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Santa Cruz is White (non-Hispanic), making up 59.6% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 22.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (59.6% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 5.2%.

Education

57.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 55% 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 95.2%. Notably, 29.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Santa Cruz, 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.