Population
258,852
2025
−4.7% since 2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. Resident population, July 1 estimate.
Santa Cruz County, CA: population growth, jobs and income
Santa Cruz County lost 2,565 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−1.0%).
Santa Cruz County had an estimated 258,852 residents in 2025, down 4.7% (12,906 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than California as a whole (−0.4%), and the 53rd fastest growth of 58 counties in California.
Data as of 2025 · updated
Data file: the tables in CSV and Excel, no PDF. 3 counties: adds Santa Clara County and San Mateo County.
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In the Santa Cruz County report
One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Santa Cruz County plus 15 more figures, ranked against California and the U.S. Three of the 15, free:
- Median gross rent$2,264/mo2020–24
- Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes9.4%2020–24
- New homes permitted, last 12 months728Oct 2025 – Sep 2026
- Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
- Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
- IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
- IRS net movers: people, households and rateIn the report
- Households and housing unitsIn the report
- Homes built since 2010, share of all homesIn the report
- Private business establishmentsIn the report
- Residents who moved in; 3-year net migration rateIn the report
What's inside: 5 pages
- 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
- 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
- 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
- 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
- 5 Every source and the methods
Headline numbers
Net domestic migration
−2,701
2025
−10.4 per 1,000 residents
−15,429 in total, 2021–2025
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. People moving in from other U.S. counties minus people moving out.
Unemployment rate
6.3%
2025
+1.4 pts since 2019
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2025. Annual average unemployment rate.
New homes permitted (calendar 2025)
470
2025
−21.4% since 2021
1.8 per 1,000 residents
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.
Median household income
$111,093
2020–24
+23.5% since 2016–20
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–24. American Community Survey 5-year estimate.
Private-sector employment
80,209
2023
+0.7% since 2018
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023. Paid employees of private employers in mid-March (County Business Patterns).
What the numbers say
Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 2,701 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in. Counting international arrivals, net migration was about −2,630.
Private employers had 80,209 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +0.7% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).
Unemployment averaged 6.3% in 2025, 1.4 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).
Builders were authorized to start 470 new homes in 2025, or 1.8 per 1,000 residents.
Median household income was $111,093 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +23.5% since 2016–20.
Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,906th.
Part of the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area.
Get Santa Cruz County’s next numbers by email
Email me when Santa Cruz County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.
Santa Cruz County population by year
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 258,852 | −2,565 |
| 2024 | 261,417 | −1,905 |
| 2023 | 263,322 | −2,464 |
| 2022 | 265,786 | +4,677 |
| 2021 | 261,109 | −10,649 |
| 2020 | 271,758 | – |
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.
What drove the change in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County lost 12,906 people since 2020; the biggest drag was domestic migration (−15,429).
| Component | 2025 | 2020–25 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural changebirths minus deaths | +78 | +959 | |
| International migrationfrom and to other countries | +71 | +2,015 | |
| Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties | −2,701 | −15,429 | |
| Census adjustmentbalancing residual | −13 | −451 | |
| Total change | −2,565 | −12,906 |
Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.
How it ranks
| Measure | In California | Among U.S. counties |
|---|---|---|
| Population growth | 53rd of 58 | 2,906th of 3,107 |
| Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents | 50th of 58 | 2,881st of 3,108 |
| Private-sector job growth | 46th of 58 | 1,768th of 3,092 |
| Median household income | 11th of 58 | 91st of 3,107 |
| Lowest unemployment rate | 34th of 58 | 2,938th of 3,108 |
| New homes permitted per 1,000 residents | 36th of 58 | 1,626th of 3,005 |
1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.
Get the county report — $99
The County Growth and Demographics Report for Santa Cruz County, CA as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. It has everything on this page plus 15 more figures for Santa Cruz County, ranked against California and the U.S. Pay once, no subscription.
Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Santa Clara County and San Mateo County reports too, $149 for all 3.
Preview page 1 of the Santa Cruz County report (free, PDF) · See a full 5-page sample (PDF) · Other counties and options
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Neighbouring counties
Santa Cruz County lost population faster than all 4 of its neighbouring counties (−4.7%, 2020–25).
3 of its 4 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Santa Cruz County's $111,093 (2020–24).
| County | Population2025 | Population change2020–25 | Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025 | Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025 | Median household income2020–24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz County, CA This county | 258,852 | −4.7% | −10.4 | 1.8 | $111,093 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | 1,914,391 | −0.9% | −10.3 | 2.8 | $164,281 |
| San Mateo County, CA | 743,568 | −2.5% | −5.5 | 3.0 | $158,855 |
| Monterey County, CA | 433,729 | −1.5% | −6.2 | 1.8 | $97,230 |
| San Benito County, CA | 70,082 | +8.6% | 9.7 | 3.5 | $114,394 |
Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.
Questions
Is Santa Cruz County growing?
No. Its population fell 4.7% between 2020 and 2025, about 12,906 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Most recently, between 2024 and 2025 it lost 2,565 residents (−1.0%). California as a whole changed −0.4% over the same years. That ranks 53rd of 58 counties in California for population growth.
How many people moved to Santa Cruz County?
Net domestic migration was about −2,701 in 2025: about 2,701 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau estimate). Counting international arrivals, net migration was about −2,630.
What is the unemployment rate in Santa Cruz County?
It averaged 6.3% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).
What is the population of Santa Cruz County?
About 258,852 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.
How many jobs are in Santa Cruz County?
Private employers there had 80,209 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +0.7% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).
What Beacon CRE covers in California
Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other California county pages carry the public federal growth figures.
Santa Cruz County data alerts
Email me when Santa Cruz County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.
Sources and method
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.
Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.