Apartments for rent in Santa Cruz, CA

The town of Santa Cruz, California is home to approximately 64,000 residents. Young adults aged 15-24 will feel right at home, as they account for an above-average percentage of the community, while retirees are less well-represented. At an average age of just under 36, the city's population skews younger than most cities in California. A narrow majority of residents rent their homes (53%) as opposed to owning (47%) in Santa Cruz despite an average rent of $1,572 per month, substantially higher than the state average.

Workers are spread across a wide range of industries in Santa Cruz, the most common four of which are education, entertainment, retail, and healthcare. Combined, these industries account for 29% of the labor force in the city. Meanwhile, looking at job function, 5% of the city's population works in sales, making it the top career path in the city. Santa Cruz workers take home an average annual income of nearly $85K, roughly the same as the California average. However, Santa Cruz compares more favorably to the national average of $73,345. Santa Cruz has a large percentage of residents older than 25 who have advanced degrees compared to the national average (7%), as 12% possess a Master's or a Doctorate. Additionally, 16% have a Bachelor's degree, which also outpaces the national average.

Averaging about 26 minutes, the commute time for Santa Cruz residents is quicker than the California average of about 32 minutes. Driving is the most common mode of getting to work, opted for by 32% of workers, while public transportation isn't used extensively. Walking (5%) isn't a common way to get to work, though the number is well above the national average.