Santa Cruz, California Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

Santa Cruz is located at 105km south of San Francisco. South of San Francisco on Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz is in many ways the quintessential California town, combining a laid-back counterculture atmosphere with plenty of shore activities and, of course, surfing. The historic Boardwalk contains one of the oldest amusement-park areas on the West Coast. There are several places along the coast to shoot the curls. Steamer’s Lane, off Lighthouse Field State Beach, is the town’s most famous spot, and Cowell Beach and Manresa State Beach are also popular. Whether you can hang 10 or not, you’ll enjoy the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, contained in a lighthouse off West Cliff Drive, near Lighthouse Field State Beach. Visitors enjoyed walking around the campus, taking in the fantastic views and the modern architecture that blends impressively with the redwood-forest surroundings.

Population: 54,593. Estimated population in July 2024: 54,760 (+0.3% change)
Males: 27,180 (49.8%), Females: 27,413 (50.2%)

Santa Cruz County

Zip codes: 95060, 95062, 95064, 95065.

Demographics

Median resident age: 31.7 years
Median household income: $50,605
Median house value: $411,900

Population by Race

Races in Santa Cruz:

• White Non-Hispanic (72.0%)
• Hispanic (17.4%)
• Other race (9.1%)
• Two or more races (4.5%)
• American Indian (2.1%)
• Black (1.7%)
• Chinese (1.6%)
• Filipino (0.9%)
• Japanese (0.7%)
• Asian Indian (0.6%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: German (14.1%), Irish (12.9%), English (11.8%), Italian (8.7%), Scottish (3.6%), French (3.6%).

Elevation: 20 feet

Land area: 12.5 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Santa Cruz

• High school or higher: 89.1%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 44.4%
• Graduate or professional degree: 17.5%
• Unemployed: 6.1%
• Mean travel time to work: 23.3 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Santa Cruz city

• Never married: 45.2%
• Now married: 37.9%
• Separated: 1.7%
• Widowed: 4.1%
• Divorced: 11.1%

15.1% Foreign born (7.8% Latin America, 3.2% Asia, 3.2% Europe).

Population change in the 1990s: +4,775 (+9.6%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Santa Cruz:

• DOMINICAN HOSPITAL (1555 SOQUEL DRIVE)
• SUTTER MATERNITY AND SURGERY CENTER (2900 CHANTICLEER AVENUE)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Santa Cruz:

• COMMUNITY HOSP LOS GATOS (about 18 miles; LOS GATOS, CA)
• WATSONVILLE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (about 18 miles; WATSONVILLE, CA)
• GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL (about 21 miles; SAN JOSE, CA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Santa Cruz:

• NORMAN Y. MINETA SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL (about 28 miles; SAN JOSE, CA; Abbreviation: SJC)
• MONTEREY PENINSULA (about 30 miles; MONTEREY, CA; Abbreviation: MRY)
• SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL (about 51 miles; SAN FRANCISCO, CA; Abbreviation: SFO)

Other public-use airports nearest to Santa Cruz:

• WATSONVILLE MUNI (about 18 miles; WATSONVILLE, CA; Abbreviation: WVI)
• REID-HILLVIEW OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY (about 28 miles; SAN JOSE, CA; Abbreviation: RHV)
• MARINA MUNICIPAL (about 29 miles; MARINA, CA; Abbreviation: OAR)

Amtrak station:
SANTA CRUZ (920 PACIFIC AVE.) – Bus Station. Services: fully wheelchair accessible, public payphones, snack bar, public transit connection.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/Universities in Santa Cruz:

• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-SANTA CRUZ (Full-time enrollment: 11,773; Location: 1156 HIGH ST; Public; Offers Doctor’s degree)
• FIVE BRANCHES INSTITUTE (Full-time enrollment: 174; Location: 200 7TH AVE STE 115A; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.fivebranches.edu; Offers Master’s degree)
• GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF SANTA CRUZ (Location: 350 ENCINAL ST; Private, not-for-profit; Website: SC GOODWILL.ORG)
• WAYNES COLLEGE OF BEAUTY (Location: 189 WALNUT AVE; Private, for-profit)
• TWIN LAKES COLLEGE OF THE HEALING ARTS (Location: 1210 BROMMER ST; Private, not-for-profit)

Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Santa Cruz:

• CABRILLO COLLEGE (about 10 miles; APTOS, CA; Full-time enrollment: 6,638)
• WEST VALLEY COLLEGE (about 21 miles; SARATOGA, CA; Full-time enrollment: 5,880)
• DE ANZA COLLEGE (about 24 miles; CUPERTINO, CA; Full-time enrollment: 13,197)
• SAN JOSE CITY COLLEGE (about 25 miles; SAN JOSE, CA; Full-time enrollment: 5,713)
• SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY (about 27 miles; SAN JOSE, CA; Full-time enrollment: 20,861)
• SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY (about 27 miles; SANTA CLARA, CA; Full-time enrollment: 6,229)
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY-MONTEREY BAY (about 28 miles; SEASIDE, CA; Full-time enrollment: 2,383)

Schools

Public high schools in Santa Cruz:

• SANTA CRUZ HIGH (Students: 1,179; Location: 415 WALNUT AVE.; Grades: 09 – 12)
• HARBOR HIGH (Students: 1,177; Location: 300 LAFONDA AVE.; Grades: 09 – 12)
• PACIFIC COLLEGIATE (Students: 366; Location: 900 HIGH STREET; Grades: 07 – 12)
• SANTA CRUZ COUNTY COMMUNITY (Students: 307; Location: 3650 GRAHAM HILL RD.; Grades: 07 – 12)
• ARK ALTERNATIVE (Students: 169; Location: 313 SWIFT ST.; Grades: 09 – 12)
• LOMA PRIETA HIGH (CONT.) (Students: 115; Location: 319 LAFONDA AVE.; Grades: 09 – 12)
• DELTA CHARTER (Students: 54; Location: 343 SOQUEL AVE., #44; Grades: 09 – 12)
• BEN LOMOND YOUTH CONSERVATION CAMP (Students: 44; Location: 13575 EMPIRE GRADE RD; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high schools in Santa Cruz:

• GEORGIANA BRUCE KIRBY PREP HS (Students: 112; Location: 117 UNION ST.; Grades: 7 – 12)
• BAYSIDE CHILDREN’S COLLEGE (Students: 42; Location: 1025 CENTER STREET; Grades: 1 – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in Santa Cruz:

• MISSION HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 673; Location: 425 KING ST.; Grades: 06 – 08)
• BROOK KNOLL ELEMENTARY (Students: 639; Location: 151 BROOK KNOLL DR.; Grades: KG – 05)
• SHORELINE MIDDLE (Students: 632; Location: 855 17TH AVE.; Grades: 06 – 08)
• BRANCIFORTE MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 518; Location: 315 POPLAR ST.; Grades: 06 – 08)
• DEL MAR ELEMENTARY (Students: 481; Location: 1959 MERRILL ST.; Grades: KG – 05)
• BAY VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 446; Location: 1231 BAY ST.; Grades: KG – 05)
• WESTLAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 406; Location: 1000 HIGH ST.; Grades: KG – 05)
• GREEN ACRES ELEMENTARY (Students: 402; Location: 966 BOSTWICK LANE; Grades: KG – 05)
• LIVE OAK ELEMENTARY (Students: 399; Location: 1916 CAPITOLA ROAD; Grades: KG – 05)
• DE LAVEAGA ELEMENTARY (Students: 360; Location: 1145 MORRISSEY BLVD.; Grades: KG – 05)

Private primary/middle schools in Santa Cruz:

• HOLY CROSS ELEMENTARY AND JUNI (Students: 277; Location: 150 EMMET ST.; Grades: PK – 8)
• GATEWAY SCHOOL (Students: 277; Location: 126 EUCALYPTUS AVENUE; Grades: KG – 6)
• GOOD SHEPHERD ELEM SCHOOL (Students: 256; Location: 2727 MATTISON LANE; Grades: PK – 8)
• SANTA CRUZ WALDORF ELEM SCHOOL (Students: 220; Location: 2190 EMPIRE GRADE; Grades: KG – 8)
• VHM CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (Students: 130; Location: 427 CAPITOLA ROAD EXT; Grades: KG – 8)
• ADVANCED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 87; Location: 250 CALIFORNIA STREET; Grades: KG – 6)
• SANTA CRUZ CHILDREN’S SCHOOL (Students: 44; Location: 366 GAULT ST.; Grades: PK – 6)

Libraries

Library in Santa Cruz:

• SANTA CRUZ LIBRARIES (Operating income: $10,997,476; Location: 1543 PACIFIC AVE.; 428,609 books; 27,617 audio materials; 14,986 video materials; 1,455 serial subscriptions)