Santa Cruz County Profile

 
About this area:
 Santa Cruz is located along the north side of Monterey Bay on the central coast of California. Surrounding counties include San Mateo to the north, Santa Clara to the east, and Monterey to the south. Mild weather, natural beauty, a major university, and proximity to the Silicon Valley contribute to the economic opportunities as well as the quality of life in the county. With an abundance of coastline, accessible beaches, and nearby mountains, Santa Cruz County is a popular vacation and recreation area.
EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES
Unemployment Rate and Labor Force (Not Seasonally Adjusted)[Top]
Area
Year
Time Period
Labor Force
No. of
Employed
No. of
Unemployed
Unemployment Rate
Santa Cruz County 2024Jun133,400125,9007,5005.6
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Employment by Industry (Not Seasonally Adjusted)[Top]
Year
Time Period
CES
Industry Title
No. of
Employed
2024JunTotal, All Industries110,900
2024JunTotal Nonfarm101,800
2024JunService-Providing88,700
2024JunTotal Private82,100
2024JunPrivate Service Providing69,000
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Occupations with Fastest Job Growth (% change)[Top]
OccupationEstimated Year -
Projected Year
Employment
 Employment Change
Estimated ProjectedNumberPercent
Entertainment Attendants and Related Workers2020 - 203039069030076.9
Amusement and Recreation Attendants2020 - 203036063027075.0
Bartenders2020 - 203029051022075.9
Cooks, Restaurant2020 - 20308201,37055067.1
Tour and Travel Guides2020 - 203030502066.7
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High Wage Occupations[Top]
OccupationYearTime PeriodHourly
Mean		Hourly by Percentile
25thMedian75th
Psychiatrists20241st Qtr$142.31$0.00$0.00$0.00
Physicians, All Other20241st Qtr$124.86$0.00$0.00$0.00
Family Medicine Physicians20241st Qtr$121.86$0.00$0.00$0.00
Chief Executives20241st Qtr$117.80$60.88$0.00$0.00
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates20241st Qtr$109.26$0.00$0.00$0.00
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Data for Santa Cruz County is not available. Data for Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA has been displayed for High Wage Occupations
 
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
Building Permits (US Census Bureau)[Top]
Type of Permit
Year
Time Period
No. of Permits
Total Costs
Multi-Family 2023Annual258$39,656,268
Single Family 2023Annual214$34,510,864
Total all types construction permits 2023Annual472$74,167,132
 Historical Data  

Consumer Price Index (US BLS & Calif. DIR)[Top]
AreaConsumer Price Index % Change
Time Period2023Time Period2022
United States Annual300.7Annual292.74.2
California Annual331.8Annual319.23.9
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Data for Santa Cruz County is not available. Data for California has been displayed for Consumer Price Index (US BLS & Calif. DIR)
 
Median Price of Existing Homes Sold[Top]
Year
Time Period
Type
Median Price
2023AnnualMedian Price of Homes Sold$1,794,000
More Areas  Historical Data   Data from the California Association of Realtors

State Revenues by Source[Top]
Tax Type Description
Year
Time Period
Tax Revenue
Alcoholic Beverage Taxes and Fees 2022Annual$420,539
Bank and Corporation (Income) Taxes 2022Annual$3,739,870
Cigarette Tax 2022Annual$1,622,507
Horse Racing (Parimutuel) License Fees 2022Annual$19,875
Estate, Inheritance and Gift Taxes 2022Annual$0
More Areas  Historical Data  

Data for Santa Cruz County is not available. Data for California has been displayed for State Revenues by Source
 
Taxable Sales (Calif. Board of Equalization)[Top]
Year
Time Period
Sales Type Description
Sales
2023AnnualRetail $4,834,786,825
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POPULATION AND CENSUS DATA
Population[Top]
Area
Year
Time Period
Source
Population
Santa Cruz County 2022AnnualCalifornia Dept of Finance265,158
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Measures of Income[Top]
Income Type
Year
Time Period
Income
Population
Per Capita Personal Income - BEA2022Annual$86,365265,158
Total Personal Income - BEA2022Annual$22,832,350265,158
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County-to-County Commute Patterns (US Census Bureau)[Top]
Year
Time Period
Area of Residence
Area of WorkPlace
Number of Workers
2020CensusSanta Cruz County , CASanta Cruz County , CA103,431
2020CensusSanta Cruz County , CASanta Clara County , CA17,622
2020CensusMonterey County , CASanta Cruz County , CA10,252
2020CensusSanta Cruz County , CAMonterey County , CA6,078
2020CensusSanta Clara County , CASanta Cruz County , CA4,052
More  Historical Data  

JOB OPENINGS & TRAINING PROVIDERS
Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange[Top]
 
Job Openings

Training Providers in Area[Top]
Provider Name
Provider Type
Location
Western SeminaryOther (incl. religious schools and seminaries)Los Gatos,CA
Watsonville - Aptos Adult SchoolSchools with Occupational Programs (ROP)Watsonville,CA
Cabrillo CollegeCommunity Colleges (two-year school)Aptos,CA
Santa Cruz County Regional Occupational ProgramSchools with Occupational Programs (ROP)Capitola,CA
University of California, Santa CruzUniversity or College (four-year school)Santa Cruz,CA
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Related Links
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