With 12,044 people, Scotts Valley is a city in California. The typical home is worth $1,105,700, having roughly tripled since 2000. The median age is 47.3, about 8 years above the US median. This is an unusually credentialed place: 56% of adults have a four-year degree. Few US cities rank higher on income. Households here earn about 45% more than in California as a whole.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $143,750, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
56% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 54%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Scotts Valley
What changed most since 1990
Median age37.3 → 47.3(+10.0 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Scotts Valley's population equals 4.5% of Santa Cruz County's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 2.3% of the county's. Its number of people who work from home equals 6.5% of the county's.
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)7.4%(33)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.3%(77)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.7%(150)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War11.5%(51)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II16.2%(72)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 445 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Scotts Valley, decade by decade
Scotts Valley population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
8,615
$110,886
$725,301
38.9%
23.7
2000
11,385
$131,977
$718,643
40.9%
33.5
2010
11,580
$146,264
$948,881
46.3%
43.2
2020
12,224
$125,789
$984,054
52.3%
57.4
2024
12,044
$143,750
$1,105,700
55.6%
61.3
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
