Santa Cruz County, California

CA · FIPS 06087 · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

Metric Value vs National Rank Percentile
Total Population 264,926 #273 / 3,222
92th
Median Household Income $111,093 +47.8% #91 / 3,222
97th
Median Age 39.8 years +2.3% #2,163 / 3,222
33th
Median Home Value $1.0M +264.5% #13 / 3,222
100th
Median Gross Rent $2,264 +94.7% #12 / 3,222
100th
Poverty Rate 11.6% -7.8% #1,168 / 3,222
64th

Demographics

Santa Cruz County has a population of 264,926, making it the #273 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.8 years, which is 2.3% above the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

82.0%
Native Born
18.0%
Foreign Born

Household Type

Economy

The median household income in Santa Cruz County is $111,093, ranking #91 out of 3,222 counties — 47.8% above the national median. The poverty rate is 11.6% and unemployment stands at 6.1%.

Median Household Income
$111,093 +47.8% vs nat'l
Rank #91 of 3,222
97th percentile
Per Capita Income
$56,941 +38.0% vs nat'l
Rank #105 of 3,222
97th percentile
Poverty Rate
11.6% −7.8% vs nat'l
Rank #1,168 of 3,222
64th percentile
Unemployment Rate
6.1% +15.4% vs nat'l
Rank #2,572 of 3,222
20th percentile
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
43.9% +30.4% vs nat'l
Rank #187 of 3,222
94th percentile
Mean Commute Time
28.6 min +3.5% vs nat'l
Rank #1,139 of 3,222
65th percentile

Median Household Income Trend

Rankings →

Poverty Rate Trend

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Housing

The median home value in Santa Cruz County is $1.0M (+264.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $2,264/mo and the homeownership rate is 59.9%.

Median Home Value
$1.0M +264.5% vs nat'l
Rank #13 of 3,222
100th percentile
Median Gross Rent
$2,264 +94.7% vs nat'l
Rank #12 of 3,222
100th percentile
Homeownership Rate
59.9% −6.9% vs nat'l
Rank #3,009 of 3,222
7th percentile
59.9% Homeownership

Median Home Value Trend

Rankings →

Health

95.1% of residents in Santa Cruz County have health insurance coverage, which is 3.7% above the national rate.

95.1% Health Insurance
Health Insurance Coverage
95.1% +3.7% vs nat'l
Rank #604 of 3,222
81th percentile

About Santa Cruz County, California

Santa Cruz County, California has a total population of 264,926, making it the 273rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Santa Cruz County is 39.8 years, which is 2.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in Santa Cruz County is $111,093, which ranks #91 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 47.8% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 11.6%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 6.1%.

The median home value in Santa Cruz County is $1.0M, 264.5% above the national median. Renters in Santa Cruz County pay a median gross rent of $2,264 per month. The homeownership rate is 59.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In Santa Cruz County, 43.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 30.4% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 28.6 min.

Santa Cruz County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 53.9% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (35.2%) and Asian (non-Hispanic) (4.7%).

All data for Santa Cruz County, California comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.