United States › California › Santa Cruz CITY · 2010 ACS
Santa Cruz California · 59,946 residents · 12.7 sq mi
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The short version
Santa Cruz is home to 59,946 people in California. The typical home is worth $735,600, having more than doubled since 2000. This is an unusually credentialed place: 52% of adults have a four-year degree. Owners hold 43% of the housing stock. This skews young, with a median age of 29.9. Median rent is $1,293 a month.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 29.9
US median: 37.2
More educated
52% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 31.7 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
47K 52K 57K 61K 66K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Santa Cruz Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $61,207
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $50,605 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $25,758 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 40.4% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 16.5% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Arts, entertainment, food 2.7%
Transportation & warehousing 2.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.6%
Public administration 1.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.8%
Education & health services 0.2%
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$735,600
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $397,100 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$1,293
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $941 in 2000
US average: $853
from 46.6% in 2000
56.7% rent
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 39.1% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 60.3% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 13.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 72%(39,304)
Hispanic / Latino 17.4%(9,491)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 66.7%(39,985)
Hispanic / Latino 19.4%(11,624)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data from 44.4% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 89.1% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 17.5% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.8 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 61.8% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 8.5% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 18.2% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 46.6% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 57.6%(15,812)
Women 15+
Never married 54.8%(15,744)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 12.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 25.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 14.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 13.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 80.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 25.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 18.4%(240)
Share of the 1,307 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Santa Cruz, California? Santa Cruz, California has about 59,946 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Santa Cruz, California? The typical household in Santa Cruz, California earns about $61,207 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Santa Cruz, California expensive? In Santa Cruz, California, the median home is worth about $735,600, and the typical rent is about $1,293 a month.
How educated are people in Santa Cruz, California? About 51.7% of adults age 25 and over in Santa Cruz, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Santa Cruz, California? About 17.8% of people in Santa Cruz, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Santa Cruz, California grown since 1990? Yes, Santa Cruz, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 10,906 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.
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