Santa Cruz, California Income Statistics
Santa Cruz Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Santa Cruz Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Santa Cruz | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $114,502 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $83,971 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 8.1% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 19.1% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 26.6% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Santa Cruz is about 15% higher than in California. Income has been growing faster in Santa Cruz (8.1%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 19% of adults in Santa Cruz earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Santa Cruz, California grew by 107.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $114,502 in 2024. That's an average of about 8.1% per year.
Santa Cruz has stayed well above the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never fallen below it. The gap has widened from 8.0% in 2009, the closest it has been, to 42% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Santa Cruz
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 11,263 households (55.4% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 19.4% of households in Santa Cruz had an income under $35,000 and 37.9% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Santa Cruz has a larger share of households earning $200,000 or more (26.6% vs 13.2%) and a smaller share earning $50,000 to $74,999 (9.8% vs 15.5%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 1,086 | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 772 | 3.8% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,057 | 5.2% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,033 | 5.1% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,480 | 7.3% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 1,993 | 9.8% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 1,643 | 8.1% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 3,558 | 17.5% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 2,293 | 11.3% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 5,412 | 26.6% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 20,327 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 10,048 residents (19.1% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 22.1% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 13.8% of Santa Cruz residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 33.2% had some income but less than $25,000, and 25.7% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Santa Cruz has a larger share of residents earning $1 to $9,999 (18.9% vs 11.2%) and a smaller share earning $50,000 to $74,999 (10.2% vs 14.3%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 7,260 | 13.8% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 9,946 | 18.9% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 3,801 | 7.2% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 3,755 | 7.1% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 4,170 | 7.9% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 4,815 | 9.1% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 5,394 | 10.2% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 3,458 | 6.6% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 10,048 | 19.1% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 52,646 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 13.8% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Santa Cruz
| Metric | Santa Cruz | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.606 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $102,012 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $69,480 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 31.9% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Santa Cruz, it is 0.606, higher than California's 0.572, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 47% more than women's income in Santa Cruz, California. Over a 35-year career, a 47% wage gap accumulates to roughly $1,138,620 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Santa Cruz, California has widened from about 22% to 32% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 2% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $18,975 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Santa Cruz widened by 9.9 points while California's narrowed by 4.3 points.
Employment
| Metric | Santa Cruz | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 21.9% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 2,315 people are unemployed in Santa Cruz, California.
The average commute time in Santa Cruz is 16 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Santa Cruz, California has fallen from 7.6% to 7.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.6% in 2016 and fell as low as 6.1% in 2022.
Santa Cruz started 1.1 points below the U.S. unemployment rate in 2011 but had risen above it by 2016, and has not been below it since. In 2024 its rate was 1.9 points higher.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Santa Cruz, California has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with California, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Santa Cruz, California.
How Rich Is Santa Cruz, California?
Santa Cruz has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $114,502, about 15% higher than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Santa Cruz, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Santa Cruz, California rose 107%, from $55,198 to $114,502. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +107% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Santa Cruz in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Santa Cruz, California was $109,371, up 3% from $106,255 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Santa Cruz in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Santa Cruz, California was $86,231. By 2024 it had risen 33% to $114,502.
What is the Gini coefficient in Santa Cruz, California?
The Gini coefficient in Santa Cruz is 0.606. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Santa Cruz, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Santa Cruz, California has widened from about 22% to 32% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 2% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $18,975 since 2009.
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