Who's struggling to get by in Santa Cruz?
The share of residents in Santa Cruz, CA living below the federal poverty line, how it has changed since 2015 and how it compares with the county, the state and the country.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, tables B17001 and B19013.
This story was assembled using AI and public data sources.
How many people in Santa Cruz live below the poverty line?
Residents below the federal poverty line: 9.9% — About 291 people · U.S.: 12.4%
Poverty rate
- Santa Cruz: 9.9
- Santa Cruz County: 11.2
- CA: 12
- U.S.: 12.4
Median household income: $163,125 — U.S.: $78,538
Poverty rate, 2015 to 2023
- 2015: 12
- 2023: 9.9
What it means
Santa Cruz's poverty rate is notably lower than the national figure — 9.9% here versus 12.4% nationally.
Since 2015 the rate has fallen by about 2.1 percentage points.
The federal poverty threshold is the same nationwide and is not adjusted for local housing costs, so a high-cost city can look better on this measure than it feels to residents.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates — Population, income, housing, education, commuting and poverty figures
- Census Bureau API — ACS Detailed Tables — The endpoint these pages are generated from
- data.census.gov — Look up the same tables for any place yourself
- ACS accuracy statement — Estimates carry margins of error; small places vary the most
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