The Town FilesSanta Cruz County, California
264,926 people. The median home is worth $1,027,500 (typical California town: $596,900) and the median household earns $111,093.
Towns in Santa Cruz County
| Town | People | Median home | Income | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | 62,956 | $1,209,000 | $115,475 | 31.1 |
| Watsonville | 52,590 | $686,000 | $78,393 | 33.8 |
| Live Oak | 17,038 | $1,015,200 | $103,674 | 41.8 |
| Scotts Valley | 12,224 | $1,105,700 | $143,750 | 47.3 |
| Soquel | 9,980 | $957,300 | $118,777 | 42.7 |
| Capitola | 9,938 | $783,000 | $102,976 | 47.6 |
| Rio del Mar | 9,128 | $1,338,100 | $159,929 | 51.4 |
| Interlaken | 7,368 | $831,000 | $109,150 | 34.3 |
| Aptos | 6,664 | $1,093,300 | $134,048 | 45.7 |
| Ben Lomond | 6,337 | $960,700 | $130,041 | 46.6 |
| Pleasure Point | 5,821 | $1,183,600 | $119,821 | 47.2 |
| Boulder Creek | 5,429 | $849,900 | $84,156 | 47.9 |
| Twin Lakes | 4,944 | $959,100 | $90,087 | 37.7 |
| Felton | 4,489 | $900,500 | $123,056 | 45.0 |
| Freedom | 3,835 | $755,300 | $93,750 | 32.1 |
| Day Valley | 3,410 | $1,279,300 | $155,000 | 55.3 |
| Seacliff | 3,280 | $1,143,600 | $130,385 | 44.7 |
| Bonny Doon | 2,868 | $1,201,900 | $144,813 | 44.2 |
| Amesti | 2,637 | $879,400 | $108,833 | 40.1 |
| La Selva Beach | 2,531 | $1,325,700 | $160,833 | 47.8 |
People and housing
| Santa Cruz County | Typical California town | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,027,500 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,264 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $111,093 | $91,557 |
| Median age | 39.8 | 40.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.6% | 10.3% |
Jobs and pay
104,514 jobs in 2024, average pay $67,622 a year.
Storms since 1996
NOAA recorded 659 storm events in Santa Cruz County from 1996 to 2026, with 56 deaths.
Federal disaster declarations
Santa Cruz County has been included in 34 FEMA declarations since 1953.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).