Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 266,021 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area

What is the median household income in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area?: The median household income in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area is $109,266 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area is 5.8% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area?: $1,015,200 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area is $2,172 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 43.6% of adults in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

266,021

Median Income

$109,266

Median Home Value

$1,015,200

Poverty Rate

5.8%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

5.6%

Median Age

39.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$27,032 (+32.9%) Home Value: +$258,600 (+34.2%) Poverty Rate: -1.6 pp (-21.6%) Bachelor's+: +2.8 pp (+6.9%) Unemployment: -0.1 pp (-1.8%)

Demographics

Total Population 266,021

Median Age 39.0

Female 50.1%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 35.0% White (non-Hisp.) 54.6% Black 1.0% Asian 4.7% Two or More 13.7% Other 16.6%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Chinese

1.4%

Filipino

0.9%

Indian

0.8%

Japanese

0.5%

Korean

0.3%

Vietnamese

0.2%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

30.5%

Puerto Rican

0.4%

Cuban

0.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $109,266 ±$2,959

Per Capita Income $149,642

Median Family Income $131,966

Poverty Rate 5.8%

Child Poverty Rate 8.2%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 9.3%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 25.8%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

3.7%

$10–15k

2.7%

$15–25k

5.1%

$25–35k

4.8%

$35–50k

7.5%

$50–75k

11.2%

$75–100k

11.5%

$100–150k

17.1%

$150–200k

12.6%

$200k+

23.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 106,635

Owner-Occupied 60.0%

Renter-Occupied 40.0%

Vacancy Rate 9.2%

Median Home Value $1,015,200

Median Gross Rent $2,172

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 30.3%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 43.3%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

1.3%

$50–100k

0.6%

$100–200k

1.6%

$200–300k

2.5%

$300–500k

7.2%

$500k–$1M

34.5%

$1M+

51.4%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

5.7%

$500–1k

7.2%

$1–1.5k

10.9%

$1.5–2k

19.5%

$2–2.5k

19.4%

$2.5–3.5k

12.9%

$3.5k+

24.4%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

5.3%

1 vehicle

27.1%

2 vehicles

37.9%

29.8%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

63.8%

Single-fam. att.

8.4%

2–4 units

3.1%

5–19 units

4.3%

20+ units

6.4%

Mobile home

6.5%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

12.1%

1940–1969

7.0%

1970–1999

20.8%

2000–2009

8.0%

2010+

3.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 88.5%

Bachelor's or Higher 43.6%

Graduate Degree 18.3%

Some College / Associate 21.2%

Less Than High School 6.9%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 63.5%

Unemployment Rate 5.6%

Work from Home 17.6%

Self-Employed 9.2%

Government Workers 16.4%

Private For-Profit 74.1%

Industry

Edu/Health

25.1%

Prof. Services

14.0%

Arts/Entmt.

10.3%

Retail

9.8%

Manufacturing

7.8%

Construction

7.2%

Agriculture

4.6%

Finance

4.1%

Transportation

4.0%

Public Admin

3.9%

Information

2.3%

Wholesale

2.2%

Occupation

Management

47.7%

Sales

17.3%

Food Prep

16.3%

Construction

10.2%

Production

8.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 26.6 min

Drove Alone 63.4%

Carpool 8.5%

Public Transit 1.9%

Work from Home 17.6%

Walked 4.3%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 96,873

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 47.9%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 17.2%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

4.5%

5–9

5.2%

10–14

5.5%

15–19

8.2%

20–24

9.1%

25–34

12.0%

35–44

12.0%

45–54

12.2%

55–64

6.4%

65–74

6.6%

75–84

11.6%

85+

4.8%

Under 18: 18.8% Working age (18–64): 81.2% 65 and over: 18.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 17.7%

Naturalized Citizen 46.5%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 11.8%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

64.1%

Asia

17.3%

Europe

13.9%

Africa

1.0%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 4.0%

With a Disability 11.2%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 94.7%

Uninsured 5.3%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 93.5%

Has a Computer 96.7%

Same House 1 Year Ago 86.0%

Moved from Abroad 0.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023