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CITY · 2020 ACS

Scotts Valley

California · 12,224 residents · 4.618 sq mi
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The short version

Scotts Valley is significantly wealthier than the US average, with a median household income of $103,783. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 52% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 33%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $811,900. With a median age of 44.5, the population is older than the US median of 38.8. Households here earn about 32% more than the California median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 44.5
US median: 38.8
More educated
52% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
12,224
+7%since 2000
from 11,385 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
44.5
+16%since 2000
from 38.3 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K9K10K12K13K1990201020202024Scotts Valley
202412K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.7%(574)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(742)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147.2%(883)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.4%(781)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.8%(585)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 349%(1,100)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.5%(1,531)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5414.6%(1,782)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6415.6%(1,903)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.9%(1,338)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.3%(651)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.9%(354)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$103,783
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $72,449 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$56,253
+58%since 2000
from $35,684 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
66.8%
+8.0 ptssince 2009
from 58.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
5.5%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 2.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade11.8%
US avg: 10%
Information10.2%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade6.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services5.5%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance5.3%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical4%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food3.9%
US avg: 2%
Public administration2.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$811,900
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $394,500 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,945
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,177 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
74.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2000
from 74.9% in 2000
25.9% rent
Afford Score
7.8
+10%since 2009
from 7.1 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Scotts Valley on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic85.1%(9,694)
Black0.4%(48)
Hispanic / Latino6.4%(729)
Asian4.5%(517)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic71.9%(8,792)
Black0.6%(77)
Hispanic / Latino12.8%(1,559)
Asian6.8%(834)
Other4.8%(582)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican9.8%(1,182)
Spaniard1.2%(141)
Salvadoran0.3%(33)
Costa Rican0.1%(15)
Asian origin
Chinese3.2%(387)
Korean1.4%(168)
Asian Indian0.9%(114)
Nepalese0.8%(102)
Filipino0.7%(81)
Indonesian0.3%(37)
Japanese0.2%(20)
Thai0.2%(19)
Vietnamese0.1%(14)
Taiwanese0.1%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(7)
Ancestry
English17.7%(2,135)
German15.1%(1,822)
Irish10.7%(1,286)
Italian8.4%(1,018)
American4.9%(589)
Norwegian4%(481)
British3%(366)
Polish3%(357)
Scottish2.6%(319)
Swedish2.4%(289)
Russian2.1%(256)
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1.6%(188)
French1.5%(186)
Danish1.4%(173)
Austrian1.4%(171)
Greek1.2%(142)
Hungarian1.2%(139)
Portuguese1.1%(138)
Swiss0.7%(88)
Welsh0.6%(75)
Czech0.4%(51)
Finnish0.4%(45)
Lithuanian0.3%(40)
Croatian0.2%(26)
Latvian0.1%(16)
Romanian0.1%(16)
Lebanese0.1%(13)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Mexican population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
52.3%
+11.4 ptssince 2000
from 40.9% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
97.6%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 94.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
19.9%
+6.9 ptssince 2000
from 13.1% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
29.9 min
+20%since 2000
from 24.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
71.9%
−7.4 ptssince 2009
from 79.3% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
7.1%
+3.7 ptssince 2009
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.3%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 7.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
61.7%
−6.1 ptssince 2011
from 67.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
55.8%
−17.2 ptssince 2009
from 73.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
52.4%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 49.2% in 2009
Female
47.6%
−3.2 ptssince 2009
from 50.8% in 2009
Foreign born
12.2%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
2.7%
−90.7 ptssince 2013
from 93.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married26.8%(1,354)
Married59.2%(2,988)
Widowed3.6%(180)
Divorced10.5%(528)
Women 15+
Never married19.2%(1,012)
Married60.9%(3,214)
Widowed7.9%(418)
Divorced12.1%(637)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Scotts Valley to nearby cities

SCOTTS VALLEY VS
Live Oak
Income$103,674same
Home value$1,015,200+25%
Population16,911+45%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SCOTTS VALLEY VS
Soquel
Income$118,777+14%
Home value$957,300+18%
Population10,679−8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SCOTTS VALLEY VS
Santa Cruz
Income$115,475+11%
Home value$1,209,000+49%
Population61,797+430%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SCOTTS VALLEY VS
Capitola
Income$102,976−1%
Home value$783,000−4%
Population9,340−20%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Scotts Valley, California?

Scotts Valley, California has about 12,224 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Scotts Valley, California?

The typical household in Scotts Valley, California earns about $103,783 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Scotts Valley, California expensive?

In Scotts Valley, California, the median home is worth about $811,900, and the typical rent is about $1,945 a month.

How educated are people in Scotts Valley, California?

About 52.3% of adults age 25 and over in Scotts Valley, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Scotts Valley, California?

About 5.5% of people in Scotts Valley, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Scotts Valley, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Scotts Valley, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,609 residents, a change of about 42 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →