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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Santa Cruz County

California · 255,602 residents · 445 sq mi
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The short version

Santa Cruz County is home to 255,602 people in California. Median home value sits at $353,300. 34% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Renters pay $924 a month at the median. 60% of homes are owner-occupied. Households take in $53,998 a year at the median, 27% more than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 35.0
US median: 35.2
More educated
34% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
255,602
+11%since 1990
from 229,734 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
35.0
+5%since 1990
from 33.3 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
445 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
225K239K252K265K278K19902000201020202024Santa Cruz County
2024265K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.1%(15,544)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.7%(17,077)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.9%(17,630)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.8%(19,939)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 248.2%(20,948)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.4%(36,728)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4416.5%(42,087)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5415.9%(40,673)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 647.6%(19,489)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 744.8%(12,347)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 843.6%(9,295)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.5%(3,845)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$53,998
+10%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $37,112 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$26,396
+52%since 1990
from $17,347 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
11.9%
+1.2 ptssince 1990
from 10.7% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$353,300
+5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $255,400 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$924
−2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $713 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
60.0%
+0.1 ptssince 1990
from 59.9% in 1990
40.0% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic84.1%(193,204)
Black1%(2,289)
Hispanic / Latino19.9%(45,827)
Asian3.8%(8,747)
2000
White, non-Hispanic65.5%(167,464)
Black0.8%(2,160)
Hispanic / Latino26.8%(68,486)
Asian3.3%(8,464)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican30.4%(80,460)
Central American1.4%(3,722)
Salvadoran0.9%(2,353)
South American0.7%(1,812)
Spaniard0.7%(1,739)
Puerto Rican0.5%(1,310)
Peruvian0.2%(620)
Colombian0.2%(599)
Guatemalan0.2%(508)
Cuban0.2%(493)
Panamanian0.1%(280)
Argentine0.1%(240)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Nicaraguan0.1%(229)
Costa Rican0.1%(182)
Dominican0.1%(166)
Chilean0.1%(166)
Ecuadorian0%(120)
Honduran0%(112)
Bolivian0%(26)
Asian origin
Chinese1.3%(3,509)
Filipino0.8%(2,226)
Asian Indian0.8%(2,207)
Japanese0.5%(1,348)
Korean0.3%(892)
Vietnamese0.2%(654)
Taiwanese0.1%(211)
Pakistani0.1%(150)
Thai0%(130)
Cambodian0%(109)
Nepalese0%(61)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Hmong0%(49)
Laotian0%(36)
Malaysian0%(27)
Burmese0%(24)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(251)
Chamorro0.1%(167)
Tongan0%(81)
Guamanian0%(23)
Fijian0%(19)
Ancestry
English11.8%(31,232)
German11.3%(29,839)
Irish10.5%(27,862)
Italian6.1%(16,101)
Scottish2.3%(6,209)
French2.2%(5,791)
American1.9%(4,920)
Polish1.8%(4,774)
Swedish1.6%(4,235)
Norwegian1.5%(3,982)
Portuguese1.4%(3,773)
Dutch1.4%(3,770)
+ 49 more ancestry groups with data
Russian1.3%(3,388)
Scotch-Irish1%(2,594)
Arab0.9%(2,418)
Danish0.9%(2,330)
Welsh0.8%(1,992)
British0.7%(1,932)
Czech0.5%(1,290)
Swiss0.5%(1,193)
Greek0.4%(1,135)
Croatian0.4%(948)
Austrian0.3%(902)
Lithuanian0.3%(902)
Iranian0.3%(864)
Lebanese0.3%(862)
Ukrainian0.3%(796)
Hungarian0.3%(718)
Canadian0.2%(636)
Finnish0.2%(505)
Syrian0.2%(497)
Armenian0.2%(493)
Romanian0.2%(489)
Turkish0.2%(465)
Brazilian0.2%(434)
West Indian0.1%(366)
Slovak0.1%(335)
Belgian0.1%(306)
Israeli0.1%(293)
Palestinian0.1%(285)
Serbian0.1%(285)
Australian0.1%(206)
Slovene0.1%(161)
Jamaican0.1%(154)
Macedonian0.1%(139)
Moroccan0%(130)
Latvian0%(117)
Bulgarian0%(93)
Iraqi0%(91)
Ethiopian0%(87)
Nigerian0%(73)
Egyptian0%(50)
Haitian0%(35)
Kenyan0%(34)
Barbadian0%(22)
Guyanese0%(16)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
34.2%
+4.5 ptssince 1990
from 29.7% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
83.2%
+1.4 ptssince 1990
from 81.9% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
12.5%
+2.1 ptssince 1990
from 10.4% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.5 min
−14%since 1990
from 25.1 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married37.2%(37,821)
Married51.6%(52,464)
Widowed1.7%(1,747)
Divorced9.5%(9,681)
Women 15+
Never married29%(30,111)
Married49.5%(51,303)
Widowed8.4%(8,742)
Divorced13%(13,515)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
4.9%
−10.0 ptssince 2013
from 14.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
56.6%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 55.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.9%
−3.2 ptssince 2020
from 19.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
19.3%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 17.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
22.0%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 20.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
69.9%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 71.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
38.3%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 35.4% 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)15%(1,209)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)13.1%(1,050)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era47%(3,777)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.8%(630)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.3%(108)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 8,035 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
Drill deeper

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Pop 266,446
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Pop 286,895
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Pop 299,273
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Pop 287,155
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Head to head

Compare Santa Cruz County to nearby counties

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY VS
Santa Clara County
Income$164,281+204%
Home value$1,490,600+322%
Population1,914,391+640%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY VS
San Mateo County
Income$158,855+194%
Home value$1,559,600+341%
Population743,568+187%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY VS
Alameda County
Income$129,367+140%
Home value$1,090,100+209%
Population1,636,630+532%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY VS
San Benito County
Income$114,394+112%
Home value$793,400+125%
Population70,082−73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Santa Cruz County, California?

Santa Cruz County, California has about 255,602 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Santa Cruz County, California?

The typical household in Santa Cruz County, California earns about $53,998 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Santa Cruz County, California expensive?

In Santa Cruz County, California, the median home is worth about $353,300, and the typical rent is about $924 a month.

How educated are people in Santa Cruz County, California?

About 34.2% of adults age 25 and over in Santa Cruz County, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Santa Cruz County, California?

About 11.9% of people in Santa Cruz County, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Santa Cruz County, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Santa Cruz County, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 25,868 residents, a change of about 11 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 →