← Map/← California/Counties/Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz
California

269K

Population

$104K

Median Income

$1157K

Median Home

D+53

Politics

Economy

Median Household Income$104K

This county

national avg ~$75K

Poverty Rate12.5%

This county

national avg ~11.5%

Unemployment Rate4.8%

This county

national avg ~3.8%

GDP per Capita$75,800

Federal Spending per Capita$930

Median Individual Earnings$50K

This county

national avg $45K

Professional/Management Workers46.7%

Average Adjusted Gross Income$116K

Avg Credit Score705

Work From Home %16.3%

This county

national avg 17.0%

Population Under 1818.7%

This county

national avg 22.0%

Single-Person Households24.6%

This county

national avg 28.0%

Banks & Finance Firms105

Income (20th Percentile)$41K

Income (80th Percentile)$215K

Income (95th Percentile)$250K

Bachelor's Degree or Higher31.9%

This county

national avg 35.0%

Less Than High School11.3%

This county

national avg 11.0%

Knowledge Economy GDP %13.7%

Dependency Ratio0.92

Medicare Spending / Person$3,049

SS Benefits / Person$3,719

Education Wage Premium2.40x

Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$77K

Median Earnings (Graduate)$96K

Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$40K

Public Assistance Recipients2.7%

Average Annual Wage$68K

Professional Services Concentration0.62x national

This county

1.0 = national average share

Housing

Median Home Value$1158K

This county

$790K state avg

$303K national

Median Sale Price$1115K

This county

$303K national

Market Rent (ZORI)$3504/mo

This county

$2300/mo state avg

$1400/mo national

Property Tax Rate0.63%

This county

0.71% state avg

1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $6,011

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$4,214/mo

Home Price Change (1 yr)+0.3%

Home Value to Income Ratio7.5x income

Severely Cost-Burdened Households19.0%

Homeownership Rate60.0%

This county

national avg ~65%

Market Activity

Sale-to-List Ratio— Buyers market — homes selling below list

99.0%

Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast

20.5%

Sold Above List Price

29.5%

Median Days to Close

25 days

Active Listings

502

New Listings / Month

194

Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly

Days on Market (Redfin)— Fast market

18 days

Months of Supply (Redfin)— Low inventory — sellers market

2.8 mo

Sold Above List (Redfin)

33.1%

Sale-to-List Cross-Reference

Zillow 99.0% · Redfin 99.9%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy82.1 yrs

This county

national avg ~78.5 years

Hospital Rating3.0 / 5

This county

national avg 3.0 stars

Food Insecurity9.0%

This county

national avg ~11%

Food Environment Index8.4 / 10

This county

higher = better access

Primary Care Shortage Score16

This county

national avg 5

Mental Health Shortage Score21

Dental Care Shortage Score25

Healthcare Shortage Score20.7

Healthcare Offices603

Obesity Rate (BRFSS)26.8%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Smoking Rate (BRFSS)10.7%

This county

national avg 14.0%

Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)19.3%

This county

national avg 18.0%

Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)20.4%

This county

national avg 24.0%

High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)27.7%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Active Physicians776

Nursing Home Rating3.7 / 5

This county

national avg ~3 stars

ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients477 / 1,000

Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$10,102

Uninsured (under 65)6.1%

This county

national avg ~10%

Adults with Depression23.3%

Education

Math Test Scores2.62 grade level

Reading Test Scores2.73 grade level

HS Diploma Holders24,161

Bachelor's Degree Holders14,949

HS Completion Rate88.7%

This county

national avg ~85%

Private Schools179

Safety

Violent Crime Rate3.4 / 1,000

This county

national avg ~4.0

Firearm Fatality Rate6.1 / 100K

This county

national avg ~13.6/100K

Homicide Rate3.2 / 100K

This county

national avg ~7.5/100K

Drug Overdose Rate24.3 / 100K

This county

national avg ~21/100K

Traffic Fatalities25

Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)61th pct

Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)34.8 / 100K

Suicide Rate12.7 / 100K

This county

national avg ~14/100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale8.5

January Sunshine0.59

January Temperature1.32

Average Temp58°F

Avg High Temp69°F

Avg Low Temp48°F

Median AQIAQI 36

Good Air Days300 days/yr

Unhealthy Air Days1 days/yr

Annual Precipitation28.3 in/yr

Avg Storm Events11.0 storms/yr

Avg Annual Storm Damage$0K

Ozone Days176 days/yr

This county

national avg 50 days/yr

Drought Index (2022)-0.76

Heating Degree Days2,780 HDD/yr

This county

national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days208 CDD/yr

This county

national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr

Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)3,501 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)103 CDD/yr

Avg Tornadoes / Year0.4

Avg Flood Events / Year5.0

Avg Hail Events / Year1.6

Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00

Avg Wildfire Events / Year3.4

Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0

Avg Heat Events / Year0.0

Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)98 / 100

Community Resilience (FEMA)72 / 100

Federal Disaster Declarations34 since 1953

Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)11.1 µg/m³

This county

EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

Historic Places (NRHP)46 properties

FAA-Registered Airports7 total

Airports (excl. heliports)4 airports

Brewery Scene

Total Breweries13 breweries

Microbreweries6 microbreweries

Brewpubs5 brewpubs

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed233 Mbps

This county

national avg ~120 Mbps

Upload Speed45 Mbps

Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)318 Mbps

Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)259 Mbps

Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)25 Mbps

Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)34 ms

Households with 100Mbps+99.9%

This county

national avg 75.0%

Cellular-Only Internet9.4%

This county

national avg 8.0%

Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)76 Mbps

EV Infrastructure

EV Charging Stations95 stations

DC Fast Chargers108 chargers

Level 2 EV Chargers207

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers21,075 workers

Public Transit Commuters2,332 workers

Walk to Work5,928 workers

Extreme Commutes (90+ min)3,207 workers

Avg Commute Time22.3 min

This county

national avg ~27 min

Bike Commuters2.0%

Walk to Work4.6%

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden30.3%

This county

national median ~27% of household income

Childcare Centers10.0 per 10K residents

Childcare Facilities133

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout74.5%

This county

national avg ~55%

Volunteering Rate1.0%

Income Inequality (Gini)5.277

Nonprofit Organizations1,192

Veterans Share4.2%

This county

national avg 7.0%

Married Adults46.2%

Never-Married Adults39.1%

Divorced Adults10.4%

Religious Organizations102

Asian Population4.9%

Native American Population0.9%

Membership Associations7.5 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants0.95 per 1K residents

Colleges & Universities4

Nursing & Care Facilities60

Grocery Stores88

Arts & Entertainment Venues69

Hotels & Lodging93

Recreation Businesses82

Professional Services Firms921

Veterinary Practices76

Real Estate Firms395

Museums11

Debt Burden

Avg Mortgage Balance$114K

Avg Student Loan Balance$8K

Avg Credit Card Balance$5K

Loan Delinquency Rate31.9%

This county

national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.55%

Politics

D+53

2024 Presidential · California was D+20 statewide

vs California State

Income tax

13.3%Same (state law)

Property tax

0.63%0.71% state avg

Politics

D+53D+20

COL Index

County data142 (state)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↓ -3K

More people leaving than arriving

IRS Wealth Migration

Wealthier people moving in (IRS: 1.18x avg income)

Economic Mobility

42%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Santa Cruz County

Median home value: $1.2M

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Local News — Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Sentinel · 1 day ago

Sick sea lions washing up in southern Santa Cruz, Monterey counties

Over the past week, a wave of California sea lions and some fur seals have turned up on Monterey and…

The Inertia · 1 day ago

Surfer and Environmentalist Shaun Burns on What’s Being Done to Save Steamer Lane

Shaun Burns is one of Santa Cruz, California's most well-respected surfers. And he's fighting the go…

Legacy | Obituary · 1 day ago

Lester Stephen Slade Obituary (2026) - Santa Cruz, CA - Santa Cruz Memorial Funeral Home - Mission Chapel

Lester Slade Obituary On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, Stephen Slade, beloved father, husband, writer, pass…

The Mercury News · 2 days ago

Former Primus manager now booking concerts in East Bay, Napa, Santa Cruz

David Lefkowitz, senior VP of talent for Blue Note Entertainment Group, books gigs at Quarry Amphith…

Reuters Connect · 1 day ago

Licensable video: US: Santa Cruz Lifeguard Battles Powerful Waves To Rescue 10 Year Old Boy (WITHOUT CREDIT)

Santa Cruz, United States - July 25, 2026 Seabright State Beach, Santa Cruz, California – Santa Cruz…

ABC7 Bay Area · 2 weeks ago

Heroic Santa Cruz teen lifeguard who saved child recognized by Trump at White House

President Donald Trump met with Ryder Williams on Monday, a 16-year-old lifeguard who was seen rescu…

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Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

Santa CruzCalifornia

Santa Cruz
California