State rank#25 of 58
Smallest county264,926 residentsLos Angeles County
Published county profile · Official data · FIPS 06087
Santa Cruz County, California
County-level income, housing, jobs, education, health, and population with transparent statewide comparisons and source periods.
Population264,926
Household income$111,093
Unemployment5.9%
Life expectancy81.8 years
County overview
Living metrics at a glance
Santa Cruz County has 264,926 residents and ranks #25 by population among California county equivalents. Median household income is $111,093. The annual-average unemployment rate is 5.9%. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access. Its county population is above the state county median. Every figure below stays at county scope.
Within California
County population range
The marker places this county between the smallest and largest county populations in the state.
Relocation guide
Moving to Santa Cruz County: what to check
Data narrows the search; municipality, neighborhood, commute, schools, and current listings complete the decision.
Before moving
Before moving, compare municipalities inside Santa Cruz County, because county averages do not describe every neighborhood. Review current housing inventory, commute destinations, school districts, healthcare access, and job locations. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access.
Cost and housing
Housing benchmarks are $1,027,500 median home value and $2,264/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $111,093, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
Who it may suit
Santa Cruz County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, life expectancy, and bachelor’s degree or higher. College attainment is 43.9% and life expectancy is 81.8 years.
Potential advantages
- Mental health access: 1 per 102 residents, rank #3 of 58 available California counties.
- Life expectancy: 81.8 years, rank #7 of 57 available California counties.
- Bachelor’s degree or higher: 43.9%, rank #9 of 58 available California counties.
Trade-offs to check
- Median home value: $1,027,500, rank #53 of 58; investigate local variation before moving.
- Median gross rent: $2,264/mo, rank #48 of 56; investigate local variation before moving.
- Unemployment rate: 5.9%, rank #33 of 58; investigate local variation before moving.
Income, housing, jobs, education & health
County metrics within California
Rank and range use only counties in California with that field available. A lower rank number is stronger when the metric has a clear direction.
Median household income
$111,093
$111,093; above the state county median of $83,473.
State rank #11 of 58 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median home value
$1,027,500
$1,027,500; above the state county median of $481,100.
State rank #53 of 58 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median gross rent
$2,264/mo
$2,264/mo; above the state county median of $1,624/mo.
State rank #48 of 56 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Unemployment rate
5.9%
5.9%; above the state county median of 5.5%.
State rank #33 of 58 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Bachelor’s degree or higher
43.9%
43.9%; above the state county median of 25.7%.
State rank #9 of 58 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Life expectancy
81.8 years
81.8 years; above the state county median of 78.2 years.
State rank #7 of 57 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Poor or fair health
16.6%
16.6%; below the state county median of 18.4%.
State rank #19 of 58 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Uninsured
6.5%
6.5%; below the state county median of 7.3%.
State rank #20 of 58 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Primary care access
1 per 977 residents
1 per 977 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 1,459 residents.
State rank #9 of 57 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Mental health access
1 per 102 residents
1 per 102 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 247 residents.
State rank #3 of 58 · County Health Rankings & RoadmapsCommon questions
Santa Cruz County FAQ
Is Santa Cruz County a good place to live?
Santa Cruz County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, life expectancy, and bachelor’s degree or higher. College attainment is 43.9% and life expectancy is 81.8 years.
What should I know before moving to Santa Cruz County?
Start with housing, employment, commute, schools, healthcare access, and the specific municipality. Housing benchmarks are $1,027,500 median home value and $2,264/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $111,093, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the population of Santa Cruz County?
Santa Cruz County has 264,926 residents in the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year dataset.
What is the FIPS code for Santa Cruz County?
The five-digit county FIPS code is 06087; the parent state FIPS is 06.
What is the median household income in Santa Cruz County?
The ACS median household income is $111,093.
How much does housing cost in Santa Cruz County?
Housing benchmarks are $1,027,500 median home value and $2,264/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $111,093, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the unemployment rate in Santa Cruz County?
The BLS LAUS annual-average unemployment rate is 5.9%.
Similar population
Nearby counties in the state ranking
Source and gate
Methodology and source periods
All records join by five-digit FIPS. Profiles publish when ACS county population is at least 100,000 or the county is the state’s largest. Missing source values remain unavailable and are excluded from ranks. Runtime data was generated 2026-07-26.
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