Santa Cruz

City in Santa Cruz County, California

View of Santa Cruz, California
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Santa Cruz is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, with 62,956 residents (2020 Census). It sits at 36 ft (11 m) above sea level. The nearest town is Pasatiempo, 2.1 miles N.

About Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz (Spanish pronunciation: [ˌsanta ˈkɾus]; Spanish for 'Holy Cross') is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Santa Cruz County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 62,956. Situated on the northern edge of Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz is a popular tourist destination, owing to its beaches, surf culture, and historic landmarks.

Santa Cruz was founded by the Spanish in 1791, when Fermín de Lasuén established Mission Santa Cruz. Soon after, a settlement grew up near the mission called Branciforte, which came to be known across Alta California for its lawlessness. With the Mexican secularization of the Californian missions in 1833, the former mission was divided and granted as rancho grants. Following the American Conquest of California and the admission of California as a U. S. state in 1850, Santa Cruz was incorporated as a town in 1866, and became a charter city in 1876. The completion of the South Pacific Coast Railroad in 1880 and the creation of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in 1904 solidified the city's status as a seaside resort community, while the establishment of the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 1965 made Santa Cruz a college town.

Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Santa Cruz weather: 7-day forecast

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Source: National Weather Service (NOAA).

Live webcams in Santa Cruz

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Webcams: Windy.com · Traffic cameras: Caltrans

Living in Santa Cruz

Median household income
$115,475
Median home value
$1,209,000
Median rent
$2,452/mo
Median age
31.1
Cost of living and demographics of Santa Cruz ›

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Map of Santa Cruz

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Santa Cruz Street View

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Santa Cruz, CA population

Santa Cruz had 62,956 residents in the 2020 Census.

2020 Census62,956
Density4,941 per sq mi (1,908 per km²)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census.

Santa Cruz at a glance

StateCalifornia (CA)
CountySanta Cruz County
TypeCity
Population62,956 (2020)
Land area12.74 sq mi (33.0 km²)
Water area3.09 sq mi (8.00 km²)
Elevation36 ft (11 m)
Coordinates36.9744° N, 122.0353° W
ZIP codes95064, 95062
Census code (GEOID)0669112

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Gazetteer, ZCTA), USGS GNIS, Wikidata.

Towns near Santa Cruz

Straight-line distance between town centers.

Frequently asked questions about Santa Cruz

What county is Santa Cruz in?

Santa Cruz is in Santa Cruz County, California.

What is the population of Santa Cruz, CA?

62,956 people lived in Santa Cruz at the 2020 Census.

What is the ZIP code of Santa Cruz, CA?

The main ZIP code is 95064. Other ZIP codes: 95062.

What is the elevation of Santa Cruz?

36 feet (11 m) above sea level.

What towns are near Santa Cruz?

Pasatiempo (2.1 mi), Paradise Park (2.2 mi), Twin Lakes (2.6 mi), Live Oak (3.1 mi), Pleasure Point (3.7 mi).

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