Santa Cruz, California Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Santa Cruz, CA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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C
Income Below average
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A
Education Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Santa Cruz | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,820 | 39,245,658 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3653.0 | 239.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.27% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 31.5 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 20,327 | 13,531,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Santa Cruz grew by 12.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 57,820 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Santa Cruz is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 40.5% of residents. That is 18.8 points above California as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 23,408 40.5% +18.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 10,533 18.2% -5.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 9,777 16.9% -2.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 7,532 13.0% -2.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below California, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.5% of the people living in Santa Cruz and men 48.5%.
- Women 51.5% California 49.9%
- Men 48.5% California 50.1%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Santa Cruz
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Santa Cruz has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Santa Cruz | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $114,502 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 8.13% | 5.57% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.2% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Santa Cruz is about 15% higher than in California.
Housing
| Metric | Santa Cruz | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,306,034 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,416 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 47.6% | 55.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Santa Cruz is about 45.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,416 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Santa Cruz spend about 34 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 141 hours, about 5.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Santa Cruz | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.9 | 23.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 33.9 | 47.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 141 | 196 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,378 | $6,065 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 21.9% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 15,490 | 16,509 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,456 | 2,449 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Santa Cruz is 17 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Santa Cruz has a education index of A, which means it is very educated.
| Metric | Santa Cruz | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.5% | 33.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.34 | 2.84 | 2.53 |
Health
Santa Cruz has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Santa Cruz | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.9 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 11.2% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 10.5% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Santa Cruz, California.
How many people live in Santa Cruz, California?
About 57,820 people live in Santa Cruz, California, in 20,327 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 31.5, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
How densely populated is Santa Cruz, California?
Averaged over its land area, Santa Cruz, California has 3,653 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 42 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Santa Cruz, California?
The median home costs 11.4 times the median household income ($1,306,034 against $114,502), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $2,416 a month takes about 25% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Santa Cruz, California?
Unemployment in Santa Cruz, California is 7.2%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Santa Cruz, California have a college degree?
41.5% of adults in Santa Cruz, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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