County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Santa Cruz County
- What is the median household income in Santa Cruz County?
- The median household income in Santa Cruz County is $53,614 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Santa Cruz County?
- The poverty rate in Santa Cruz County is 16.5% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Santa Cruz County?
- $216,100 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Santa Cruz County?
- The median gross rent in Santa Cruz County is $781 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Santa Cruz County residents have a college degree?
- 24.1% of adults in Santa Cruz County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
48,209
Median Income
$53,614
Median Home Value
$216,100
Poverty Rate
16.5%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
10.5%
Median Age
37.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$12,355 (+29.9%)
Home Value:
+$64,900 (+42.9%)
Poverty Rate:
-3.5 pp (-17.5%)
Bachelor's+:
+3.7 pp (+18.1%)
Unemployment:
+2.8 pp (+36.4%)
Demographics
Total Population
48,209
Median Age
37.0
Female
51.7%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 82.7%
White (non-Hisp.) 15.3%
Black 0.2%
Asian 0.1%
Two or More 45.5%
Other 11.3%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
80.4%
Puerto Rican
0.4%
Cuban
0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$53,614
±$3,573
-$23,258 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$70,823
Median Family Income
$61,151
Poverty Rate
16.5%
+7.6 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
24.1%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
23.6%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
23.5%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
5.9%
$10–15k
5.5%
$15–25k
8.6%
$25–35k
13.8%
$35–50k
14.1%
$50–75k
17.8%
$75–100k
10.2%
$100–150k
14.9%
$150–200k
5.3%
$200k+
3.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
18,997
Owner-Occupied
68.4%
Renter-Occupied
31.6%
Vacancy Rate
11.5%
Median Home Value
$216,100
-$142,800 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$781
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
23.8%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
38.1%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
2.3%
$50–100k
6.2%
$100–200k
14.2%
$200–300k
28.0%
$300–500k
17.1%
$500k–$1M
8.9%
$1M+
2.0%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
19.3%
$500–1k
54.7%
$1–1.5k
20.0%
$1.5–2k
4.9%
$2–2.5k
0.8%
$2.5–3.5k
0.3%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
5.1%
1 vehicle
27.1%
2 vehicles
33.1%
3+
34.8%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
70.2%
Single-fam. att.
8.1%
2–4 units
3.7%
5–19 units
4.0%
20+ units
1.2%
Mobile home
6.9%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
4.0%
1940–1969
1.1%
1970–1999
17.6%
2000–2009
23.5%
2010+
7.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
77.7%
Bachelor's or Higher
24.1%
-8.5 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
8.7%
Some College / Associate
18.3%
Less Than High School
10.0%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
56.7%
Unemployment Rate
10.5%
+5.3 pp vs. state
Work from Home
6.3%
Self-Employed
6.7%
Government Workers
19.6%
Private For-Profit
73.3%
Industry
Edu/Health
18.9%
Transportation
11.5%
Retail
10.8%
Public Admin
10.6%
Construction
6.8%
Manufacturing
6.7%
Prof. Services
6.5%
Wholesale
6.3%
Arts/Entmt.
5.7%
Agriculture
5.4%
Finance
3.6%
Information
1.6%
Occupation
Sales
27.4%
Management
25.3%
Food Prep
20.2%
Production
16.8%
Construction
10.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
24.3 min
Drove Alone
78.5%
Carpool
11.0%
Public Transit
0.7%
Work from Home
6.3%
Walked
1.3%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
16,816
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
50.6%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
19.5%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
6.4%
5–9
6.8%
10–14
8.2%
15–19
7.5%
20–24
6.2%
25–34
11.8%
35–44
11.3%
45–54
11.1%
55–64
5.6%
65–74
6.2%
75–84
11.0%
85+
6.2%
Under 18: 26.1%
Working age (18–64): 73.9%
65 and over: 18.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
34.1%
Naturalized Citizen
60.7%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
35.8%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
97.7%
Europe
1.4%
Asia
0.6%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
4.6%
With a Disability
12.5%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
85.5%
Uninsured
14.5%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
84.3%
Has a Computer
91.8%
Same House 1 Year Ago
89.0%
Moved from Abroad
1.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Santa Cruz County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Santa Cruz County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Pima County | 446 | 824 |
| Maricopa County | 158 | 335 |
| Other flows - West | 156 | 274 |
| Other flows - South | 71 | 121 |
| Other flows - Midwest | 49 | 84 |
| San Diego County | 23 | 34 |
| Los Angeles County | 23 | 37 |