County profile · California
Santa Cruz County, CA market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Santa Cruz County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 258,852
- −4.7% since 2020
- Households
- 96,898
- Median household income
- $111,093
- +35.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $1,027,500
- Jobs located here
- 95,587
- Highest market score
- 77
- Car washes and detailing, #86 of 1,451 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Santa Cruz County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Santa Cruz County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 258,852 people live in Santa Cruz County, in 96,898 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Santa Cruz County declined 4.7%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in Santa Cruz County is $111,093 a year, 38% above the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 35.1% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Santa Cruz County spend the most on child care and other personal services (an index of 170, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on vehicle insurance (105, still above the U.S.).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Santa Cruz County are for car washes and detailers (77), barbershops (71) and funeral homes (71). Santa Cruz County ranks #86 of 1,451 scored counties for car washes and detailers.
Santa Cruz County is part of the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area. For its number of households, Santa Cruz County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for yoga, Pilates and fitness studios (2.3 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for car washes and detailers (61% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Santa Cruz County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Santa Cruz County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car washes and detailing | 77 | #86 of 1,451 | 15 | 1.5 | $7.9M | 315 | 10 |
| Barbershops | 71 | #195 of 1,356 | 26 | 2.7 | $4.5M | 240 | 5 |
| Funeral homes | 71 | #210 of 1,472 | 12 | 1.2 | $1.3M | 190 | 6 |
| Tire shops | 70 | #260 of 1,530 | 27 | 2.8 | $4.4M | 176 | 14 |
| Convenience stores | 70 | #420 of 2,261 | 60 | 6.2 | $11M | 139 | 20 |
| Pest control | 69 | #106 of 699 | 11 | 1.1 | $13.9M | 136 | 7 |
| Gas stations | 69 | #421 of 2,358 | 73 | 7.5 | $3.9M | 164 | 51 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 66 | #59 of 325 | 5 | 0.5 | $30M | 122 | 5 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 64 | #373 of 1,461 | 36 | 3.7 | $3.3M | 130 | 21 |
| Roofing and gutters | 62 | #316 of 1,177 | 19 | 2.0 | $17.5M | 207 | 24 |
| Auto repair and car care | 62 | #646 of 2,401 | 299 | 30.9 | $399K | 148 | 149 |
| Nail salons | 61 | #358 of 1,328 | 35 | 3.6 | $3.4M | 201 | 24 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 58 | #462 of 1,302 | 39 | 4.0 | $3.8M | 123 | 19 |
| Pizza | 58 | #703 of 2,090 | 70 | 7.2 | $6.7M | 132 | 206 |
| Auto repair shops | 58 | #794 of 2,378 | 202 | 20.8 | $590K | 133 | 116 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 57 | #845 of 2,222 | 114 | 11.8 | $4.1M | 135 | 206 |
| Pet stores | 56 | #375 of 974 | 21 | 2.2 | $5.7M | 125 | 11 |
| Electricians | 54 | #494 of 1,160 | 21 | 2.2 | $15.9M | 132 | 95 |
| Pet businesses | 54 | #889 of 2,200 | 122 | 12.6 | $976K | 111 | 73 |
| Hair salons | 54 | #957 of 2,339 | 237 | 24.5 | $497K | 115 | 52 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 53 | #584 of 1,327 | 33 | 3.4 | $3.6M | 117 | 32 |
| Child care and preschools | 53 | #735 of 1,611 | 68 | 7.0 | $1.4M | 140 | 131 |
| Home repair trades | 53 | #874 of 2,057 | 106 | 10.9 | $3.1M | 129 | 222 |
| Dry cleaners | 52 | #238 of 507 | 10 | 1.0 | $21.5M | 137 | 12 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 51 | #808 of 1,707 | 66 | 6.8 | $5.1M | 106 | 103 |
| Gyms | 51 | #863 of 1,792 | 101 | 10.4 | $1.5M | 118 | 50 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 50 | #825 of 1,656 | 63 | 6.5 | $2.4M | 134 | 190 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 50 | #1,194 of 2,402 | 194 | 20.0 | $3.4M | 100 | 88 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 47 | #778 of 1,493 | 53 | 5.5 | $2.9M | 99 | 140 |
| Physical therapy | 47 | #791 of 1,422 | 57 | 5.9 | $2.6M | 109 | 48 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 47 | #1,322 of 2,385 | 437 | 45.1 | $269K | 127 | 107 |
| Veterinarians | 43 | #910 of 1,485 | 55 | 5.7 | $2.2M | 80 | 41 |
| Insurance agencies | 43 | #1,357 of 2,272 | 143 | 14.8 | $1.4M | 111 | 76 |
| Spas and skin care | 41 | #1,217 of 1,769 | 133 | 13.7 | $885K | 101 | 24 |
| Grocery stores | 41 | #1,317 of 2,070 | 77 | 7.9 | $8.5M | 92 | 68 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 40 | #1,254 of 1,771 | 100 | 10.3 | $1.5M | 91 | 214 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 40 | #1,479 of 2,088 | 237 | 24.5 | $653K | 99 | 110 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 40 | #1,620 of 2,405 | 657 | 67.8 | $715K | 108 | 235 |
| Property management | 39 | #635 of 910 | 42 | 4.3 | Index only | 87 | 74 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 39 | #960 of 1,334 | 84 | 8.7 | $1.8M | 91 | 60 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 37 | #1,733 of 2,405 | 1,291 | 133.2 | $364K | 98 | 553 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 36 | #694 of 887 | 64 | 6.6 | Index only | 81 | 24 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 36 | #1,532 of 2,087 | 179 | 18.5 | $1.2M | 94 | 95 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 33 | #653 of 777 | 52 | 5.4 | $3M | 73 | 50 |
| Chiropractors | 33 | #1,212 of 1,490 | 102 | 10.5 | $1.5M | 61 | 40 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 32 | #1,795 of 2,210 | 270 | 27.9 | $796K | 90 | 122 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 32 | #1,967 of 2,176 | 389 | 40.1 | Index only | 96 | 140 |
| House cleaning | 31 | #742 of 847 | 36 | 3.7 | $4.3M | 67 | 67 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 31 | #1,608 of 1,886 | 153 | 15.8 | $979K | 100 | 134 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 30 | #1,615 of 1,889 | 135 | 13.9 | $3.5M | 84 | 124 |
| Real estate | 30 | #2,070 of 2,229 | 497 | 51.3 | Index only | 94 | 267 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 28 | #1,816 of 2,063 | 171 | 17.6 | $2.7M | 74 | 110 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 28 | #2,150 of 2,394 | 1,105 | 114.0 | $136K | 89 | 436 |
| Laundromats | 24 | #677 of 785 | 30 | 3.1 | $7.2M | 57 | 15 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.4 | $29.8M | 217 | 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.2 | Index only | Too few | 5 |
Household spending in Santa Cruz County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $119.2M | $1,230 | 128 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $286.1M | $2,952 | 114 |
| Food away from home | $469.6M | $4,847 | 119 |
| Groceries | $657.5M | $6,785 | 107 |
| Personal care products and services | $117.8M | $1,215 | 121 |
| Child care and other personal services | $95.6M | $986 | 170 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $154.7M | $1,596 | 162 |
| Medical and dental services | $149.8M | $1,546 | 120 |
| Pets | $119.1M | $1,229 | 135 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $214.9M | $2,217 | 108 |
| Vehicle insurance | $199.9M | $2,063 | 105 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $333.4M | $3,441 | 114 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $153.2M | $1,581 | 112 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $2B | $20,961 | 126 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Santa Cruz County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 258,852−4.7% since 2020
- Households
- 96,898
- Median age
- 40.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 60%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 445 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 595
- Median household income
- $111,093+35.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $156,435
- Median home value
- $1,027,500
- Jobs located here
- 95,587
- Daytime population
- 247,989Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Santa Cruz County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Santa Cruz County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
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Questions
How fast is Santa Cruz County, CA growing?
Population estimates put Santa Cruz County at 258,852 people in 2025, down 4.7% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 96,898 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 35.1%, before inflation.
How much do households in Santa Cruz County, CA spend?
Households in Santa Cruz County spend about $2B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $657.5M on groceries and $469.6M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Santa Cruz County runs highest on child care and other personal services (an index of 170, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on vehicle insurance (105, still above the U.S.).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Santa Cruz County, CA?
Of the business types scored in Santa Cruz County, car washes and detailers (77), barbershops (71) and funeral homes (71) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For car washes and detailers, that ranks #86 of 1,451 scored counties.
How does Santa Cruz County, CA compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Santa Cruz County is $111,093, 38% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 4.7% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $1,027,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for yoga, Pilates and fitness studios (2.3 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for car washes and detailers (61% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 54 of the 56 business types have a score in Santa Cruz County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Santa Cruz County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Santa Cruz County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Santa Cruz County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.