Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US counties.

Safety59#1,272/3,096
Economy68#1,007/3,143
Housing2#3,063/3,140
Health92#261/3,144
Healthcare98#51/3,143
Environment91#269/3,108
Education42#1,809/3,144
Infrastructure94#205/3,144
Community56#1,382/3,144
Leisure & amenities93#216/3,143

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Santa Cruz County, California ranks highest and lowest among US counties (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Comfortable days · high57.3%
100/100California 34.8%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Mental health providers · high977 /100k
99/100California 487 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Drought exposure · low0%
98/100California 9%United States 43%Nov 2025–Oct 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA
Life expectancy · high81.6 yrs
98/100California 79.7 yrsUnited States 77.6 yrs2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Adult obesity · low26.8%
97/100California 30.4%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Access to exercise opportunities · high98.3%
97/100California 94.3%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute

Weaknesses

Home price to income ratio · high9.3×
0/100California 7.4×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Cost of buying a home today · high76.1%
0/100California 54.7%United States 34.1%Aug 2026Zillow Research
Severe housing problems · high25.4%
1/100California 25.8%United States 16.8%2017-2021University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Students per teacher · high21.2×
2/100California 21.7×United States 15.2×2024National Center for Education Statistics
Unemployment rate · high6.3%
5/100California 5.5%United States 4.3%2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPartial year
Natural hazard risk · high91.8
7/100California 87.32025Federal Emergency Management Agency

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureImproving
83% (2021) → 0% (Nov 2025–Oct 2026)
−83 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
High ozone daysImproving
2 days (2017) → 0 days (2022)
−100%5 yearsUS 9 days → 7 days
Cost of buying a home todayWorsening
59.2% (Dec 2021) → 76.1% (Aug 2026)
+17 pts5 yearsUS 26.4% → 34.1%
Homicide rateImproving
5.8 /100k (2021) → 1.8 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−69%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
Child care cost burdenWorsening
24.0% (2020 & 2021) → 32.3% (2023 & 2024)
+8.2 pts3 yearsUS 24.5% → 27.9%
New business applicationsImproving
6.4 /1k (2020) → 8.9 /1k (2025)
+39%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Santa Cruz County, California improved on 14 of 32 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 15 moved within the margin of error and 2 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among counties: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2020 with 2025); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved14

Rent / income−4.1 points35.2% → 31.1%
Commute−2.1 min27.7 min → 25.7 min
Rent burden−7.4 points59.1% → 51.7%
Homicides−65%5.2 /100k → 1.8 /100k
Arts & recreation+26%5.0 /10k → 6.4 /10k

Declined1

Transit use−1.1 points3.0% → 1.9%

All 32 measures

Change of every measure of Santa Cruz County, California between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	5.0 /10k2020	6.4 /10k2025	+26%	Improved	78%
Average commute time	27.7 min2015-2019	25.7 min2020-2024	−2.1 min	Improved	89%
Average weekly wage	$1,1552020	$1,3492025	+17%	Improved	10%
Bachelor's degree or higher	40.8%2015-2019	43.9%2020-2024	+3.1 points	Improved	56%
Broadband subscriptions	87.3%2015-2019	94.2%2020-2024	+6.8 points	Improved	22%
Child poverty rate	10.4%2019	13.0%2024	+2.6 points	Within the margin of error	6%
Distance to an airport	27 mi2020	27 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	20.0 /100k2020	22.9 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	+14%	Within the margin of error	16%
Effective property tax rate	0.67%2015-2019	0.60%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Little change	36%
Firearm deaths	4.8 /100k2020	5.4 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+13%	Within the margin of error	30%
Grocery stores	2.4 /10k2020	2.5 /10k2025	+5%	Within the margin of error	71%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.8 /10k2020	2.3 /10k2025	+24%	Within the margin of error	74%
High school diploma or higher	86.3%2015-2019	88.6%2020-2024	+2.2 points	Within the margin of error	58%
Home price to income ratio	9.2×2015-2019	9.2×2020-2024	+0.0×	Within the margin of error	84%
Homicide rate	5.2 /100k2020	1.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−65%	Improved	81%
Income adjusted for local prices	$62,7592019	$85,1532024	+36%	Improved	72%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4822015-2019	0.4832020-2024	+0.001	Within the margin of error	53%
Median household income	$85,7702019	$105,4372024	+23%	Improved	39%
New business applications	6.4 /1k2020	8.9 /1k2025	+39%	Improved	43%
Pharmacies	1.7 /10k2020	1.7 /10k2025	−1.9%	Within the margin of error	60%
Poverty rate	10.6%2019	11.9%2024	+1.3 points	Within the margin of error	15%
Property crime rate	2,266 /100k2020	1,436 /100k2025	−37%	Improved	51%
Public libraries	0.5 /10k2019	0.5 /10k2024	+4.4%	Within the margin of error	79%
Public transit commuters	3.0%2015-2019	1.9%2020-2024	−1.1 points	Declined	17%
Rent as share of income	35.2%2015-2019	31.1%2020-2024	−4.1 points	Improved	88%
Rent-burdened households	59.1%2015-2019	51.7%2020-2024	−7.4 points	Improved	85%
Restaurants and bars	9.9 /10k2020	9.9 /10k2025	−0.1%	Within the margin of error	48%
Suicide rate	10.7 /100k2020	12.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+18%	Within the margin of error	24%
Traffic deaths	7.3 /100k2015-2019	8.6 /100k2020-2024	+18%	Within the margin of error	34%
Unemployment rate	9.6%2020	6.3%2025	−3.3 points	Improved	68%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	7.9%2019	6.1%2024	−1.8 points	Improved	66%
Violent crime rate	357 /100k2020	332 /100k2025	−6.9%	Within the margin of error	40%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 2303 counties that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Small Area Health Insurance Estimates; Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 3144 counties that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Counties like Santa Cruz County, California five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Santa Cruz County, California in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Santa Cruz County, California itself moved +1.1 points in standing on average over the same 31 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

264,926 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 70–79 women (+1.0 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

264,926 residents

Santa Cruz County, California
California share

White54%142,831
Black0.7%1,912
Hispanic or Latino35%93,346

Education

178,903 residents (±207)

Santa Cruz County, California
California share

No high school diploma11%20,421
High school or GED15%27,233
Some college21%37,281

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

96,898 households (±687)

Santa Cruz County, California
California share

Under $25k12%11,271
$25k–50k11%10,840
$50k–75k11%10,940
$75k–100k12%11,163
$100k–150k17%16,919
$150k–200k12%11,531
$200k or more25%24,234

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $200k or more (+9.6 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

96,898 households (±687)

Santa Cruz County, California
California share

Own60%58,079
Rent40%38,819

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

36,919 households (±1,049)

Santa Cruz County, California
California share

Under $7508.7%3,211
$750–1,0003.8%1,385
$1,000–1,5009.8%3,615

Home values

58,079 homes (±1,134)

Santa Cruz County, California
California share

Under $150k3.7%2,150
$150k–250k2.2%1,265
$250k–400k3.7%2,166

Age of homes

106,977 homes (±177)

Santa Cruz County, California
California share

2010 or later4.5%4,791
2000–20098.3%8,827
1980–199924%25,548

Size of homes

106,977 homes (±177)

Santa Cruz County, California
California share

Studio6.3%6,779
1 bedroom11%12,298
2 bedrooms32%34,243

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

125,770 workers (±1,985)

Santa Cruz County, California
California share

Drive alone62%78,208
Carpool8.2%10,250
Public transit1.9%2,384
Walk4.2%5,280
Bike2.2%2,741
Work from home19%24,267
Other2.1%2,640

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+11.5 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

101,503 workers (±2,161)

Santa Cruz County, California
California share

Under 15 min30%30,257
15–29 min35%35,728
30–44 min16%16,625

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Santa Cruz County has 7,136 employer establishments, 271 for every 10,000 residents (1.09× the US rate of 248; 1.03× California's), with 80,209 paid employees at an average annual pay of $61,778. The Census Bureau also counts 23,111 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 7,136; 23,111 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 271; US 248 · California 263
Paid employees: 80,209
Average annual pay: $61,778; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Santa Cruz County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	625	23.7	1.14×About typical	6,025	$89,700	1,585
Restaurants and other eating places	553	21	1.14×About typical	9,801	$28,615	76
Specialty trade contractors	518	19.7	1.27×More than typical	2,941	$72,550	998
Lessors of real estate	384	14.6	1.18×About typical	1,416	$58,233	2,324
Construction of buildings	355	13.5	1.78×More than typical	1,247	$67,773	828
Full-service restaurants	235	8.9	1.16×About typical	4,675	$30,582	24
Services to buildings and dwellings	228	8.7	1.28×More than typical	2,198	$61,437	1,095
Management, scientific and technical consulting	223	8.5	1.26×More than typical	743	$88,795	1,323
Offices of other health practitioners	213	8.1	1.33×More than typical	882	$42,553	1,072
Limited-service restaurants	206	7.8	0.98×About typical	3,656	$28,227	23
Building equipment contractors	200	7.6	1.26×More than typical	1,228	$78,393	242
Offices of physicians	190	7.2	1.11×About typical	2,174	$129,821	218

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $41.3M on contracts performed in Santa Cruz County, California: $160 per resident (US $2,007).

Obligations: $41.3M; −53% vs FY2025
Per resident: $160; US $2,007
Sole-source: 7.6%; US 30%
Single offer: 5.6%; US 8.7%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

DEL MAR FOOD PRODUCTS CORP.$18.6M45%
OHSIX LOGISTICS, LLC$6.6M16%
CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS GROUP, LLC$3.2M7.8%
DONATINI, INC.$1.8M4.4%
S.E.A. CONSTRUCTION LLC$1.7M4.1%

Spending by fiscal year

29.8MFY2017
42.3MFY2018
73.6MFY2019
59.4MFY2020
98MFY2021
52.5MFY2022
82.3MFY2023
87.1M

Top industries (NAICS)

Fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing · 3114$20.2M49%
Dairy product manufacturing · 3115$6.5M16%
Forest nurseries and gathering of forest products · 1132$3.2M7.8%
Other heavy and civil engineering construction · 2379$2M4.7%
Scientific research and development services · 5417$1.9M4.6%
Nonscheduled air transportation · 4812

Largest awards

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: THIS PROJECT IS FOR THE REACH 6 LEVEE AND FLOODWALL CONSTRUCTION ALONG THE CORRALITOS CREEK, A TRIBUTARY OF THE PAJARO RIVER LEVEE SYSTEM IN THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE, COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ.$39.7M
GRANITE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY· Santa Cruz County, CA· Construction & real property· Sep 5, 2025 – May 27, 2026· W912P725CA018
CA FLAP SCR T5(1) MONTEREY BAY SANCTUARY SCENIC TRAIL CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT$33.6M
JOSEPH J. ALBANESE, INC.· Santa Cruz County, CA· Construction & real property· Apr 25, 2024 – Sep 22, 2026· 6982AF24C000016
FEMA 2020 CA WILDFIRES DISASTER RESPONSE ON ERRS 5 CONTRACT NO. 68HE0919D0001. TO NO. 9034.$7.4M
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT, INC· Santa Cruz County, CA· Facilities & utilities· Sep 10, 2020 – Apr 10, 2026· 68HE0920F0095

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 9, 2026, loaded Oct 9, 2026.

Explore contracts in Santa Cruz County, California

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $1.8B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Santa Cruz County, California: $6,851 per resident (US $12,975).

Assistance · FY2026: $1.8B; −5.7% vs FY2025
Per resident: $6,851; US $12,975
Loan face value: $39.5M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.2%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$1.1B64%
14.871 · Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers$156.4M8.8%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$68.8M3.9%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$67.6M3.8%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$65.6M3.7%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$46.4M2.6%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$27.5M1.6%
20.263 · Bridge Formula Program$26.2M1.5%

Top recipients (organizations)

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ$160.9M9.1%
CAPITOLA, CA
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ$96.7M5.5%
SANTA CRUZ, CA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CALIFORNIA$59.6M3.4%
SACRAMENTO, CA
CABRILLO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT FINANCING CORPORATION$14.8M0.8%
APTOS, CA
SALUD PARA LA GENTE

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$1.3B73%
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing$158.8M9.0%
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$81.5M4.6%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$60.2M3.4%
Department of Transportation
Department of Education

Assistance by fiscal year

1.7BFY2021
1.4BFY2022
1.6BFY2023
1.7BFY2024
1.9BFY2025
1.8BFY2026

County aggregates

78%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 8, 2026, loaded Oct 8, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Explore grants in Santa Cruz County, California

Public money & outcomes

Federal money per resident by fiscal year next to how the place changed, and, when its money jumped, how it compares with similar counties. A comparison, not cause and effect.

How Santa Cruz County, California compares: the federal money it received per resident, and how jobs, income, housing and other outcomes moved, each next to the United States.

Money per resident

By federal fiscal year (October to September, named by the year it ends), obligations per resident. A year with no record counts as $0.

Santa Cruz County, California
United States
partial year

Federal contractsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Santa Cruz County, California and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
FY2017	$108	$1,436
FY2018	$155	$1,552
FY2019	$270	$1,654
FY2020	$219	$1,880
FY2021	$375	$1,810
FY2022	$197	$1,917
FY2023	$312	$2,079
FY2024	$333	$2,047
FY2025	$339	$2,165
FY2026	$160 (partial year)	$1,925
FY2027	— (partial year)	—

Construction contractsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Santa Cruz County, California and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
FY2017	$0	$93.28
FY2018	$0.45	$105
FY2019	$0.51	$128
FY2020	$1.10	$145
FY2021	$1.73	$117

Contracts and grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Santa Cruz County, California and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
FY2021	$1,519	$5,748
FY2022	$677	$5,221
FY2023	$1,144	$5,364
FY2024	$964	$5,501
FY2025	$1,162	$5,732
FY2026

Transportation grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Santa Cruz County, California and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
FY2021	$65.78	$298
FY2022	$113	$357
FY2023	$135	$301
FY2024	$112	$319
FY2025	$407	$360
FY2026	$232

Housing assistanceUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Santa Cruz County, California and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
FY2021	$563	$239
FY2022	$531	$185
FY2023	$651	$229
FY2024	$800	$229
FY2025	$833	$249
FY2026	$735

HHS grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Santa Cruz County, California and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
FY2021	$343	$2,304
FY2022	$92.13	$2,197
FY2023	$164	$2,274
FY2024	$227	$2,267
FY2025	$206	$2,397
FY2026

SBA lending volumeUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Santa Cruz County, California and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
FY2021	$1,213	$1,186
FY2022	$467	$465
FY2023	$147	$76.52
FY2024	$73.95	$120
FY2025	$141	$148
FY2026	$90.79

Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)

How outcomes moved

Calendar years. Charts share the same years as the money above. Levels are shown as percent change since 2016; rates are shown as the rate itself.

Santa Cruz County, California
United States
Years with money loaded

Job growthpercent

Table view

Job growth, Santa Cruz County, California and the United States, by year
Calendar years	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
2014	1.8%	2.0%
2015

When its money jumped

A county-year with at least 10,000 residents whose money per resident is at least twice its earlier average counts as a jump. Each is compared with up to five similar counties in the same region whose money did not jump.

No jump in federal money met the criteria in the years loaded, so there is no comparison for this place.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Business Formation Statistics, Building Permits Survey, Cartographic Boundary Files, Gazetteer and metro delineations, Population Estimates Program, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission), Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System), Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordability. JSON · /api/v1/outcomes/places/06087

See all comparisons

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Santa Cruz County, California is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).

House

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

Metro area

The metro or micro area Santa Cruz County belongs to. A county is in at most one.

Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA89Central county

Cities and towns in Santa Cruz County

Places whose residents live mostly in Santa Cruz County, largest first.

Neighboring counties

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar counties

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
National Risk IndexFederal Emergency Management Agency · release v1.20.0
Health Professional Shortage AreasHealth Resources and Services Administration · release 2026-10-09
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
Common Core of DataNational Center for Education Statistics · release 2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-10-06
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/06087

Calendar years	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
2014	−5.9%	−4.2%
2015	−2.7%	−1.3%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+3.9%	+3.3%
2018	+8.0%	+6.8%
2019	+16.8%	+10.5%
2020	+26.5%	+19.4%
2021	+30.8%	+26.1%
2022	+33.6%	+30.6%
2023	+37.6%	+35.0%
2024	+42.4%	+41.0%
2025	+47.8%	+46.8%

Calendar years	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
2014	−7.6%	−5.5%
2015	−2.8%	−1.9%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+6.1%	+4.1%
2018	+10.9%	+8.9%
2019	+18.7%	+13.5%
2020	+31.5%	+20.8%
2021	+51.3%	+32.1%
2022	+41.5%	+35.4%
2023	+49.6%	+42.9%
2024	+59.8%	+49.5%

Calendar years	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
2014	1.1/1k	3.3/1k
2015	1.2/1k	3.7/1k
2016	1.8/1k	3.7/1k
2017	1.5/1k	3.9/1k
2018	1.6/1k	4.1/1k
2019	1.6/1k	4.2/1k
2020	0.9/1k	4.4/1k
2021	2.3/1k	5.2/1k
2022	2.3/1k	5.0/1k
2023	2.1/1k	4.5/1k
2024	1.0/1k	4.3/1k
2025	1.8/1k	4.2/1k

Calendar years	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
2014	−15.4%	−6.9%
2015	−14.6%	−3.2%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+0.9%	+4.7%
2018	+10.9%	+7.5%
2019	+13.0%	+14.0%
2020	+22.5%	+16.9%
2021	+19.0%	+21.0%
2022	+30.7%	+29.7%
2023	+35.3%	+34.9%
2024	+38.9%	+41.6%

Calendar years	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
2014	−16.4% (Dec 2014)	−10.8% (Dec 2014)
2015	−6.5% (Dec 2015)	−5.2% (Dec 2015)
2016	0.0% (Dec 2016)	0.0% (Dec 2016)
2017	+8.3% (Dec 2017)	+6.4% (Dec 2017)
2018	+13.7% (Dec 2018)	+12.6% (Dec 2018)
2019	+12.4% (Dec 2019)	+18.1% (Dec 2019)
2020	+23.5% (Dec 2020)	+29.3% (Dec 2020)
2021	+47.7% (Dec 2021)	+49.8% (Dec 2021)
2022	+54.5% (Dec 2022)	+64.7% (Dec 2022)
2023	+55.8% (Dec 2023)	+69.0% (Dec 2023)
2024	+56.4% (Dec 2024)	+73.4% (Dec 2024)
2025	+56.7% (Dec 2025)	+73.7% (Dec 2025)

Calendar years	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
2014	8.9%	6.2%
2015	7.5%	5.3%
2016	6.9%	4.9%
2017	5.7%	4.4%
2018	4.9%	3.9%
2019	4.9%	3.7%
2020	9.6%	8.1%
2021	6.7%	5.4%
2022	4.8%	3.7%
2023	5.5%	3.6%
2024	5.9%	4.0%
2025	6.3%	4.3%

Calendar years	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
2014	16.1%	15.5%
2015	15.4%	14.7%
2016	13.4%	14.0%
2017	12.6%	13.4%
2018	12.2%	13.1%
2019	10.6%	12.3%
2020	10.7%	11.9%
2021	10.6%	12.8%
2022	12.5%	12.6%
2023	12.6%	12.5%
2024	11.9%	12.1%

Calendar years	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
2015	−5.7% (Dec 2015)	−3.3% (Dec 2015)
2016	0.0% (Dec 2016)	0.0% (Dec 2016)
2017	+4.1% (Dec 2017)	+4.4% (Dec 2017)
2018	+9.0% (Dec 2018)	+8.8% (Dec 2018)
2019	+11.4% (Dec 2019)	+13.1% (Dec 2019)
2020	+15.5% (Dec 2020)	+15.2% (Dec 2020)
2021	+28.4% (Dec 2021)	+32.8% (Dec 2021)
2022	+38.3% (Dec 2022)	+42.1% (Dec 2022)
2023	+40.1% (Dec 2023)	+46.3% (Dec 2023)
2024	+45.3% (Dec 2024)	+50.4% (Dec 2024)
2025	+48.9% (Dec 2025)	+53.5% (Dec 2025)

Calendar years	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
2014	12.9%	13.5%
2015	7.8%	10.9%
2016	7.1%	10.0%
2017	7.4%	10.2%
2018	7.3%	10.4%
2019	7.9%	10.8%
2020	8.0%	10.4%
2021	7.7%	10.2%
2022	6.5%	9.5%
2023	6.7%	9.5%
2024	6.1%	9.8%

Calendar years	Santa Cruz County, California	United States
2014	6.1/1k	8.5/1k
2015	6.0/1k	8.7/1k
2016	6.2/1k	9.1/1k
2017	6.4/1k	9.8/1k
2018	7.2/1k	10.7/1k
2019	6.5/1k	10.6/1k
2020	6.4/1k	13.1/1k
2021	8.4/1k	16.2/1k
2022	8.3/1k	15.1/1k
2023	9.5/1k	16.2/1k
2024	8.5/1k	15.4/1k
2025	8.9/1k	16.6/1k

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved14

Declined1

Counties like Santa Cruz County, California five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Public money & outcomes

Money per resident

How outcomes moved

When its money jumped

Representation in Congress

House

Senate

Metro area

Cities and towns in Santa Cruz County

Neighboring counties

Similar counties

Data and sources

Improved14

Declined1

House

Senate

Household income

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Money per resident

How outcomes moved

When its money jumped

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought