HomeCaliforniaSanta Cruz County
Santa Cruz County, California: commercial real estate data.
Santa Cruz County, California had an estimated 262,406 residents on July 1, 2024, down 3.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 272,140, across 445 square miles. County output reached $21.09 bn in 2024, 7,136 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 249 7(a) approvals worth $150.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Santa Cruz County
How many people live in Santa Cruz County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024264,926
- Households96,898
- Average household size2.73
- Median household income$111,093
- Median age39.8
- Median gross rent$2,264 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$1,027,500
- Home value to household income9.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income24.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher43.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree18.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over178,903
- Population under 1848,713
- Share under 1818.4 percent
- Population 65 and over50,275
- Share 65 and over19.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64165,938
- Civilian labor force139,492
- Unemployment rate6.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.5 percent
- Rank by population among California counties25th of 58
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included273rd of 3,222
Santa Cruz County is the 25th largest of 58 California counties by population. A median home costs 9.2 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 19.0 percent against 18.4 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Santa Cruz County
Is Santa Cruz County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024262,406
- Census 2020 base population272,140
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.58 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-1,293
- Births, 20242,168
- Deaths, 20241,884
- Natural change, 2024284
- Net domestic migration, 2024-2,801
- Net international migration, 20241,226
- Total net migration, 2024-1,575
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-12,954
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2833rd of 3,144
The county has lost 3.58 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. More people left than moved in during 2024 and births over deaths did not make up the difference, so the population fell.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Santa Cruz County
Where are people moving to Santa Cruz County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving5,671
- People arriving, from those returns8,782
- Tax returns filed by households leaving7,434
- Net household movement-1,763
- Adjusted gross income arriving$773.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-55.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$136,380
- Average income of a leaving household$111,522
- Largest single originSanta Clara County (1,166 households)
- Largest single destinationSanta Clara County (966 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara County | 1,166 | 1,973 | $308.9 m |
| Monterey County | 528 | 1,002 | $30.0 m |
| Alameda County | 294 | 419 | $38.0 m |
| Los Angeles County | 253 | 343 | $21.8 m |
| San Mateo County | 218 | 346 | $48.1 m |
| San Francisco County | 201 | 282 | $35.8 m |
| San Diego County | 160 | 215 | $12.2 m |
| Contra Costa County | 132 | 199 | $15.9 m |
Households arriving report $24,858 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Santa Clara County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Santa Cruz County
What is the Santa Cruz County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$21.09 bn
- County GDP, 2023$19.83 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.4 percent
- GDP change over five years29.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the California areas BEA publishes25th of 58
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes245th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$79,615
Output grew 6.4 percent in the latest year and 29.4 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Santa Cruz County
Employment by industry in Santa Cruz County
- Covered employment, annual average104,514
- Establishments reporting10,171
- Average annual pay$67,622
- Average weekly wage$1,300
- Health care and social assistance, employment16,901
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$74,032
- Accommodation and food services, employment11,473
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$32,457
- Retail trade, employment10,519
- Retail trade, average annual pay$42,187
- Manufacturing, employment7,903
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$99,830
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment7,441
- Construction, employment5,037
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 16,901 | 3,345 | $74,032 |
| Accommodation and food services | 11,473 | 687 | $32,457 |
| Retail trade | 10,519 | 752 | $42,187 |
| Manufacturing | 7,903 | 330 | $99,830 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 7,441 | 255 | $45,239 |
| Construction | 5,037 | 944 | $73,463 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 4,314 | 955 | $102,478 |
| Other services, except public administration | 4,017 | 769 | $48,971 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 16,901 jobs, 16.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Santa Cruz County
How many businesses are in Santa Cruz County?
- Establishments, all industries7,136
- Employment at those establishments80,209
- Annual payroll$4.96 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents26.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Santa Cruz County
Building permits in Santa Cruz County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024259
- Declared construction value permitted$55.0 m
- Single family units authorized189
- Multifamily units authorized70
- Multifamily share of units27.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$212,457
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.7
Single-family homes are 73.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Santa Cruz County
SBA loans in Santa Cruz County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded249
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$150.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$604,858
- Median 7(a) approval$250,000
- 10th percentile approval$43,200
- 90th percentile approval$1,514,960
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,591
- Jobs per approval10.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active48
- Distinct industries receiving approvals124
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer17.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms43
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter200
- Franchise loans14
- Franchise share of approvals5.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (14)
- Most active lenderWest Coast Community Bank (49)
- 504 approvals recorded135
- 504 gross approval dollars$129.1 m
- Average 504 approval$956,563
- Median 504 approval$616,000
- Distinct CDCs active8
- 504 jobs per approval9.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.5
- Most active CDCMortgage Capital Development Corporation (26)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$279.7 m
The average approval of $604,858 sits well above the median of $250,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 17.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Santa Cruz County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Santa Cruz County
Do SBA loans in Santa Cruz County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded52
- Paid in full48
- Charged off4
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans7.7 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure135
- Status: Charged off4
- Status: Cancelled48
- Status: Paid in full48
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed14
Of the 52 loans that have reached a final outcome, 7.7 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Santa Cruz County
SBA lending by place in Santa Cruz County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending13
- Santa Cruz, approvals93
- Watsonville, approvals51
- Aptos, approvals25
- Scotts Valley, approvals22
- Soquel, approvals20
- Capitola, approvals20
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | 93 | $48,351,500 |
| Watsonville | 51 | $33,773,200 |
| Aptos | 25 | $8,109,300 |
| Scotts Valley | 22 | $17,985,800 |
| Soquel | 20 | $11,973,100 |
| Capitola | 20 | $11,020,100 |
| Ben Lomond | 5 | $2,929,400 |
| Felton | 4 | $10,599,000 |
| 5 other borrower cities | 9 | $5,868,300 |
Santa Cruz accounts for 93 approvals against 51 in Watsonville. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Santa Cruz County
How large is Santa Cruz County?
- Land area445 sq mi
- Rank by land area among California counties57th of 58
- Width, east to west40.7 mi
- Height, north to south30.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land595
- Establishments per square mile16.04
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Santa Cruz County
Flood risk in Santa Cruz County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Santa Cruz County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 060353
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 8
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class3
- Radon levels in Santa Cruz County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Santa Cruz County (community 060353), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 8, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Santa Cruz County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Santa Cruz County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Santa Cruz County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024264,926
- Households96,898
- Average household size2.73
- Median household income$111,093
- Median age39.8
Common questions
Santa Cruz County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Santa Cruz County, California?
The Census Bureau estimates 262,406 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 264,926, in 96,898 households, ranking 25th of 58 California counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Santa Cruz County's population growing?
The population has fallen 3.58 percent since the 2020 census base of 272,140, to 262,406 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 2,168 births against 1,884 deaths, with net migration of -1,575. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Santa Cruz County?
$111,093. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $1,027,500, which is 9.2 times income, and median gross rent is $2,264 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Santa Cruz County?
7,136 establishments, employing 80,209 people with an annual payroll of $4.96 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Santa Cruz County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 16,901 jobs, 16.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 104,514 jobs at an average annual pay of $67,622, or $1,300 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Santa Cruz County?
249 7(a) approvals totaling $150.6 m since FY2020, across 48 lenders, with a median approval of $250,000, plus 135 504 approvals worth $129.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Santa Cruz County get paid back?
Of the 52 loans that have reached a final outcome, 48 were paid in full and 4 charged off, a charge-off rate of 7.7 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Santa Cruz County?
259 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $55.0 m. Multifamily was 27.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Santa Cruz County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Santa Cruz County come from?
The largest single origin is Santa Clara County, with 1,166 households. Arriving households report an average income of $136,380 against $111,522 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Santa Cruz County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Santa Cruz County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Santa Cruz County
Cities and places in Santa Cruz.
30 Census places lie wholly or partly in Santa Cruz County. All 30 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | city | 61,607 | 93 | Wholly in this county |
| Watsonville | city | 51,712 | 51 | Wholly in this county |
| Live Oak | CDP | 16,911 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Scotts Valley | city | 12,044 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| Soquel | CDP | 10,679 | 20 | Wholly in this county |
| Capitola | city | 9,689 | 20 | Wholly in this county |
| Rio del Mar | CDP | 9,201 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Interlaken | CDP | 8,068 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ben Lomond | CDP | 6,858 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Aptos | CDP | 6,404 | 25 | Wholly in this county |
| Pleasure Point | CDP | 5,489 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Twin Lakes | CDP | 5,073 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Boulder Creek | CDP | 4,632 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Felton | CDP | 4,093 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Day Valley | CDP | 3,579 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Seacliff | CDP | 3,299 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Freedom | CDP | 3,172 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Bonny Doon | CDP | 3,149 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Amesti | CDP | 2,818 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| La Selva Beach | CDP | 2,302 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley | CDP | 2,127 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Corralitos | CDP | 1,884 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Brookdale | CDP | 1,378 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mount Hermon | CDP | 939 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lompico | CDP | 788 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pasatiempo | CDP | 610 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Paradise Park | CDP | 470 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Davenport | CDP | 403 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Zayante | CDP | 399 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pajaro Dunes | CDP | 143 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 249 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Santa Cruz County, the largest being Royal Oaks (2), Watsonvill (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby