Santa Cruz County, California's estimated 2024 population is 258,854 with a growth rate of -1.03% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Santa Cruz County, California is the 25th largest county in California. The 2010 population was 263,174 and has seen a growth of -1.64% since that time.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 245,389 | -2,693 | -1.09% |
| 2028 | 248,082 | -2,693 | -1.07% |
| 2027 | 250,775 | -2,693 | -1.06% |
| 2026 | 253,468 | -2,693 | -1.05% |
| 2025 | 256,161 | -2,693 | -1.04% |
| 2024 | 258,854 | -2,693 | -1.03% |
| 2023 | 261,547 | -2,693 | -1.02% |
| 2022 | 264,240 | 3,765 | 1.45% |
| 2021 | 260,475 | -9,999 | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 270,474 | -2,396 | -0.88% |
| 2019 | 272,870 | -843 | -0.31% |
| 2018 | 273,713 | -1,152 | -0.42% |
| 2017 | 274,865 | 389 | 0.14% |
| 2016 | 274,476 | 981 | 0.36% |
| 2015 | 273,495 | 2,632 | 0.97% |
| 2014 | 270,863 | 2,027 | 0.75% |
| 2013 | 268,836 | 2,445 | 0.92% |
| 2012 | 266,391 | 1,464 | 0.55% |
| 2011 | 264,927 | 1,753 | 0.67% |
| 2010 | 263,174 | 0 | 0% |
| 1990 | 229,734 | 41,593 | 22.11% |
| 1980 | 188,141 | 64,351 | 51.98% |
| 1970 | 123,790 | 39,571 | 46.99% |
| 1960 | 84,219 | 17,685 | 26.58% |
| 1950 | 66,534 | 21,477 | 47.67% |
| 1940 | 45,057 | 7,624 | 20.37% |
| 1930 | 37,433 | 11,164 | 42.5% |
| 1920 | 26,269 | 129 | 0.49% |
| 1910 | 26,140 | 4,628 | 21.51% |
| 1900 | 21,512 | 2,242 | 11.63% |
| 1890 | 19,270 | 6,468 | 50.52% |
| 1880 | 12,802 | 4,059 | 46.43% |
| 1870 | 8,743 | 3,799 | 76.84% |
| 1860 | 4,944 | 4,301 | 668.9% |
| 1850 | 643 | -244,746 | -99.74% |
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 176,572 | 65.74% |
| Other race | 40,948 | 15.25% |
| Two or more races | 31,913 | 11.88% |
| Asian | 13,163 | 4.9% |
| Black or African American | 2,839 | 1.06% |
| Native American | 2,541 | 0.95% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 595 | 0.22% |
White
Other race
Two or more races
Asian
Black or African American
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 96,487 | 2.64 | 60 | 40 |
| Married | 46,417 | 3.23 | 72.5 | 27.5 |
| Non Family | 35,453 | 1.49 | 48 | 52 |
| Female | 10,012 | 3.53 | 45.5 | 54.5 |
| Male | 4,605 | 3.67 | 56.2 | 43.8 |
3.15
Average Family Size
2.64
Average Household Size
60.0%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 7,391 | 4.1% |
| Associates Degree | 14,949 | 8.3% |
| Bachelors Degree | 44,286 | 24.58% |
| Graduate Degree | 32,251 | 17.9% |
| High School Graduate | 28,468 | 15.8% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 12,950 | 7.19% |
| Some College | 39,876 | 22.13% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 113,487 | 110,800 | 60,402 |
| Hispanic | 50,772 | 34,188 | 7,963 |
| Other Race | 23,103 | 13,785 | 2,419 |
| 2+ Races | 17,282 | 14,468 | 5,047 |
| Asian | 8,178 | 7,568 | 4,603 |
| Black | 1,866 | 1,678 | 583 |
| Native American | 1,564 | 1,071 | 246 |
| Islander | 482 | 436 | 61 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 97.63%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 56.29%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $77,026 | $92,392 | $63,253 |
| Graduate Degree | $96,149 | $117,598 | $80,514 |
| High School Graduate | $40,062 | $49,849 | $30,318 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $28,272 | $33,899 | $22,814 |
| Overall | $56,150 | $67,871 | $45,368 |
| Some College | $48,867 | $63,736 | $39,545 |
$56,150
Average Earnings
$67,871
Average Male
$45,368
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
67.44% of Santa Cruz County, California residents speak only English, while 32.56% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 25.6% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 145,993 | 14,499 | 9.93% |
| Hispanic | 88,266 | 11,831 | 13.4% |
| Other | 39,451 | 5,726 | 14.51% |
| Multiple | 30,189 | 3,283 | 10.87% |
| Asian | 10,673 | 1,515 | 14.19% |
| Native | 2,465 | 358 | 14.52% |
| Black | 2,367 | 349 | 14.74% |
| Islander | 579 | 73 | 12.61% |
11.38%
Overall Poverty Rate
10.82%
Male Poverty Rate
11.95%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Santa Cruz County, California is Black, with 14.74% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Santa Cruz County, California is White, with 9.93% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.1%. Among those working part-time, it was 14.89%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 19.77%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 17.22% |
| High School | 12.72% |
| Some College | 9.56% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 4.97% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 22.69% |
| Female Unemployed | 18.99% |
| Female Employed | 8.17% |
| Male Employed | 5.47% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $127,331 | $169,323 |
| Households | $104,409 | $146,532 |
| Married Families | $151,702 | $192,070 |
| Non Families | $65,079 | $96,687 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
45.0%
Overall Marriage Rate
46.8%
Male Marriage Rate
43.1%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
9,165
Number of Veterans
8,617
Male Veterans
548
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 4,321 |
| First Gulf War | 1,246 |
| Second Gulf War | 1,119 |
| Korea | 760 |
| World War II | 164 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 3,193 |
| 65 to 74 | 2,979 |
| 35 to 54 | 1,356 |
| 55 to 64 | 1,242 |
| 18 to 34 | 395 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 7,537 | 5.03% |
| Hispanic | 1,209 | 1.86% |
| 2+ Races | 566 | 2.57% |
| Other Race | 517 | 1.74% |
| Asian | 248 | 2.1% |
| Black | 224 | 9.21% |
| Native American | 58 | 3.28% |
| Islander | 15 | 2.52% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
5.85%
Veteran Poverty Rate
33.44%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
63.5%
Labor Force Participation
59.7%
Employment Rate
5.9%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
61.52%
Born in Santa Cruz County, California
82.6%
Native Born
17.4%
Foreign Born
9.54%
Non Citizen
7.85%
Naturalized
82.6% of Santa Cruz County, California residents were born in the United States, with 61.52% having been born in California. 9.54% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.