Santa Cruz County, CA Demographics & Local Data
Analyze population trends, housing costs, and the local economy by exploring Map AI.
Area Snapshot
Key statistics on population, economy, housing, and commuting compared to state and national averages. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
A
B
B
Population
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 260,395 | 38,909,900 | 334,821,731 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 429.1 | 237.3 | 85.8 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.30% | 0.19% | 0.57% |
| Median age | 38.4 | 35.4 | 37.1 |
| Households | 96,320 | 13,415,389 | 128,459,983 |
Population Over Time
Race & Ethnicity
Economy
Santa Cruz County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $108,531 | $96,718 | $78,145 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.51% | 6.01% | 5.07% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 6.4% | 5.2% |
Housing
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,072,890 | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Median rent | $2,172 | $1,955 | $1,342 |
| Homeownership rate | 60.0% | 55.8% | 65.1% |
Mobility & Commuting
The most common departure window is 08:00 AM – 08:29 AM , followed by 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM .
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average commute time (min) | 21.2 | 23.6 | 22.5 |
| Work from home | 17.6% | 15.5% | 13.4% |
Education & Households
Santa Cruz County has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.1% | 33.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.59 | 2.85 | 2.54 |
Health
Santa Cruz County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.4 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.7% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 11.5% | 13.9% | 19.0% |