HomeCaliforniaSanta Cruz County
Santa Cruz County, California: commercial real estate data.
Santa Cruz County, California has a population of 264,926 across 445 square miles, down 3.6 percent since the 2020 census base. 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.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Santa Cruz County
How many people live in Santa Cruz County
- Population264,926
- 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-equivalents273rd
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 a stretched ownership market and usually shows up as rental demand. 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 storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Santa Cruz County
Is Santa Cruz County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.58 percent
- Census 2020 base population272,140
- 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
The county has lost 3.58 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Births exceeded deaths in 2024 but more people left than arrived, so the population is being sustained internally rather than attracting.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Santa Cruz County
Where people moving to Santa Cruz County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving5,671
- People arriving, from those returns8,782
- Adjusted gross income arriving$773.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$136,380
- Largest single originSanta Cruz County Non-migrants (104,986 households)
- Largest single destination (104,986 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz County Non-migrants | 104,986 | 200,209 | $14.59 bn |
| Santa Clara County | 1,166 | 1,973 | $308.9 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,132 | 1,701 | $117.4 m |
| Monterey County | 528 | 1,002 | $30.0 m |
| Other flows - West | 480 | 727 | $58.3 m |
| Other flows - South | 302 | 457 | $24.6 m |
| Alameda County | 294 | 419 | $38.0 m |
| Los Angeles County | 253 | 343 | $21.8 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Santa Cruz County Non-migrants, 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 the Santa Cruz County economy runs on
- 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 California counties25th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents245th
- 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
Who employs people in Santa Cruz County
- Covered employment, annual average104,514
- Establishments reporting10,171
- Average annual pay$67,622
- Average weekly wage$1,300
- Sector 62, employment16,901
- Sector 62, average annual pay$74,032
- Sector 72, employment11,473
- Sector 72, average annual pay$32,457
- Sector 44-45, employment10,519
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$42,187
- Sector 31-33, employment7,903
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$99,830
- Sector 11, employment7,441
- Sector 23, employment5,037
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 16,901 | 3,345 | $74,032 |
| Sector 72 | 11,473 | 687 | $32,457 |
| Sector 44-45 | 10,519 | 752 | $42,187 |
| Sector 31-33 | 7,903 | 330 | $99,830 |
| Sector 11 | 7,441 | 255 | $45,239 |
| Sector 23 | 5,037 | 944 | $73,463 |
| Sector 54 | 4,314 | 955 | $102,478 |
| Sector 81 | 4,017 | 769 | $48,971 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 16,901 jobs, 16.2 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Santa Cruz County
What businesses operate 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.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Santa Cruz County
What is being built in Santa Cruz County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024259
- Declared construction value permitted$55.0 m
- Single family units authorised189
- Multifamily units authorised70
- Multifamily share of units27.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$212,457
- Units authorised per 1,000 households2.7
Multifamily is 27.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Santa Cruz County
How much SBA lending happens in Santa Cruz County
- 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$40,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,530,000
- 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)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals64.8 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$279.7 m
The average approval of $604,858 sits well above the median of $250,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually 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
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.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Santa Cruz County
Which parts of Santa Cruz County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending13
- SANTA CRUZ, approvals93
- WATSONVILLE, approvals51
- APTOS, approvals25
- SCOTTS VALLEY, approvals22
- CAPITOLA, approvals20
- SOQUEL, approvals20
| Place | 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 |
| CAPITOLA | 20 | $11,020,100 |
| SOQUEL | 20 | $11,973,100 |
| BEN LOMOND | 5 | $2,929,400 |
| Boulder Creek | 4 | $767,300 |
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 big 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
What hazards affect Santa Cruz County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities 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
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
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.
- Population264,926
- 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?
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 growing?
The population has fallen 3.58 percent since the 2020 census base. 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 there 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 the average wage in Santa Cruz County?
Average annual pay is $67,622, or $1,300 a week, across 104,514 covered jobs. 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 totalling $150.6 m since FY2020, across 48 lenders, with a median approval of $250,000, plus 135 504 approvals worth $129.1 m. 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.
What is being built in Santa Cruz County?
259 housing units were authorised 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 Cruz County Non-migrants, with 104,986 households. Arriving households report an average income of $136,380 against null 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?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.