United States › California › Watsonville CITY · 2010 ACS
Watsonville California · 51,199 residents · 6.79 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Watsonville is a city of 51,199 people in California. The foreign-born share is 42%. The median age is 29.2, younger than the US median of 37.2. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $445,900. 44% of homes are owner-occupied. 10% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 28% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 29.2
US median: 37.2
Less educated
10% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 70%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 27.4 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
29K 36K 42K 49K 56K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Watsonville Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $46,675
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,617 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $13,205 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 26.3% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 19.1% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 20.9%
Transportation & warehousing 4.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.7%
Public administration 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
Education & health services 0.4%
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$445,900
+70%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $207,300 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$1,016
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $742 in 2000
US average: $853
from 48.1% in 2000
56.0% rent
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 3.60 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 52.0% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 63.9% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 10.5 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 19.4%(8,574)
Hispanic / Latino 75.1%(33,254)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 13.7%(7,038)
Hispanic / Latino 81.4%(41,656)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 8.7% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 49.1% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 2.7% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.4 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 70.3% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 20.6% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 16.1% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 38.9% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 42.8%(8,545)
Women 15+
Never married 38.4%(7,558)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 23.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 42.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 12.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 42.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 51.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 49.8% 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) 25.8%(201)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.6%(114)
Share of the 780 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 Watsonville, California? Watsonville, California has about 51,199 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Watsonville, California? The typical household in Watsonville, California earns about $46,675 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Watsonville, California expensive? In Watsonville, California, the median home is worth about $445,900, and the typical rent is about $1,016 a month.
How educated are people in Watsonville, California? About 10.2% of adults age 25 and over in Watsonville, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Watsonville, California? About 18.7% of people in Watsonville, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Watsonville, California grown since 1990? Yes, Watsonville, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 20,100 residents, a change of about 65 percent over that period.
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