Santa Cruz County, California

Not to be confused with Santa Cruz County, Arizona.
Santa Cruz County, California
County
County of Santa Cruz
Images, from top down, left to right: The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in 2005, a walkway through redwood groves in Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad in 2008, Downtown Watsonville in 2010, Davenport Beach in 2006.

Flag

Seal

Location in the state of California

California's location in the United States
Coordinates: 37°02′N 122°01′W / 37.03°N 122.01°W / 37.03; -122.01Coordinates: 37°02′N 122°01′W / 37.03°N 122.01°W / 37.03; -122.01
Country  United States of America
State  California
Region Central Coast
CSA San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland
Incorporated February 18, 1850[1]
County seat Santa Cruz
Largest city Santa Cruz
Area
  Total 607 sq mi (1,570 km2)
  Land 445 sq mi (1,150 km2)
  Water 162 sq mi (420 km2)
Highest elevation[2] 3,234 ft (986 m)
Population (April 1, 2010)[3]
  Total 262,382
  Estimate (2015)[3] 274,146
  Density 430/sq mi (170/km2)
Time zone Pacific Time Zone (UTC-8)
  Summer (DST) Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7)
Area code 831
FIPS code 06-087
GNIS feature ID 277308
Website www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us

Santa Cruz County, California, officially the County of Santa Cruz, is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 262,382.[3] The county seat is Santa Cruz.[4]

Santa Cruz County comprises the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA Combined Statistical Area. The county is located on the California Central Coast,[5] south of the San Francisco Bay Area region. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay, with Monterey County forming the southern coast.

History

Santa Cruz County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. In the original act, the county was given the name of "Branciforte" after the Spanish pueblo founded there in 1797. A major watercourse in the county, Branciforte Creek, still bears this name. Less than two months later on April 5, 1850,[6] the name was changed to "Santa Cruz" ("Holy Cross").

Mission Santa Cruz, established in 1791 and completed in 1794, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1857, but a smaller-scale replica was erected in 1931.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 607 square miles (1,570 km2), of which 445 square miles (1,150 km2) is land and 162 square miles (420 km2) (27%) is water.[7] It is the second-smallest county in California by land area and third-smallest by total area. Of California's counties, only San Francisco is physically smaller.

The county is situated on a wide coastline with over 29 miles (47 km) of beaches.[8] It is a strip of about 10 miles (16 km) wide between the coast and the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains at the northern end of the Monterey Bay. It can be divided roughly into four regions: the rugged "north coast"; the urban City of Santa Cruz, Soquel, Capitola, and Aptos; mountainous Bonny Doon, San Lorenzo River Valley; and the fertile "south county", including Watsonville and Corralitos. Agriculture is concentrated in the coastal lowlands of the county's northern and southern ends. Most of the coastline is flanked by cliffs.

Santa Cruz Coast

Flora and fauna

Santa Cruz County is home to the following threatened or endangered species:[9]

Año Nuevo State Marine Conservation Area, Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area and Natural Bridges State Marine Reserve are marine protected areas off the coast of Santa Cruz County. Like underwater parks, these marine protected areas help conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems.

Adjacent counties

Counties and bodies of water adjacent to Santa Cruz County, California

Demographics

2011

Places by population, race, and income

2010

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850643
18604,944668.9%
18708,74376.8%
188012,80246.4%
189019,27050.5%
190021,51211.6%
191026,14021.5%
192026,2690.5%
193037,43342.5%
194045,05720.4%
195066,53447.7%
196084,21926.6%
1970123,79047.0%
1980188,14152.0%
1990229,73422.1%
2000255,60211.3%
2010262,3822.7%
Est. 2015274,146[30]4.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[31]
1790–1960[32] 1900–1990[33]
1990–2000[34] 2010–2015[3]

The 2010 United States Census reported that Santa Cruz County had a population of 262,382. The racial makeup of Santa Cruz County was 190,208 (72.5%) White, 2,766 (1.1%) African American, 2,253 (0.9%) Native American, 11,112 (4.2%) Asian, 349 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 43,376 (16.5%) from other races, and 12,318 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 84,092 persons (32.0%).[35]

2000

As of the census[36] of 2000, there were 255,602 people, 91,139 households, and 57,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 574 people per square mile (222/km2). There were 98,873 housing units at an average density of 222 per square mile (86/km2).

There were 91,139 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $53,998, and the median income for a family was $61,941. Males had a median income of $46,291 versus $33,514 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,396. About 6.7% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.50% of those under age 18 and 6.30% of those age 65 or over.

Santa Cruz county residents tend to be well-educated. 38.3% of residents age 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree at least, significantly higher than the national average of 27.2% and the state average of 29.5%.[37][38]

Politics

Santa Cruz County was a Republican stronghold for most of the 20th century; from 1920 to 1972 the only Democrats to carry Santa Cruz were Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936 and Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. But the opening of UCSC in 1965 caused the county's political landscape to dramatically change.

Santa Cruz County vote
by party in presidential elections
[39]
Year GOP DEM Others
2016 17.3% 21,353 73.4% 90,419 9.3% 11,461
2012 20.0% 24,047 75.4% 90,805 4.6% 5,533
2008 19.8% 25,244 77.3% 98,745 2.9% 3,747
2004 24.9% 30,354 73.0% 89,102 2.2% 2,628
2000 27.3% 29,627 61.5% 66,618 11.2% 12,105
1996 26.9% 27,766 56.5% 58,250 16.5% 17,046
1992 21.9% 24,916 58.1% 66,183 20.1% 22,893
1988 36.8% 37,728 61.5% 63,133 1.7% 1,750
1984 45.2% 41,652 53.3% 49,091 1.5% 1,404
1980 43.5% 37,347 37.7% 32,346 18.8% 16,111
1976 43.1% 31,872 51.1% 37,772 5.9% 4,325
1972 49.9% 34,799 46.4% 32,336 3.8% 2,624
1968 50.8% 25,365 41.0% 20,492 8.2% 4,087
1964 41.3% 18,836 58.5% 26,714 0.2% 94
1960 59.6% 24,858 40.0% 16,659 0.5% 187
1956 63.6% 22,109 36.2% 12,574 0.3% 93
1952 67.1% 24,353 31.8% 11,536 1.1% 391
1948 57.7% 15,395 37.0% 9,862 5.4% 1,433
1944 53.8% 11,102 45.3% 9,357 0.9% 178
1940 50.9% 11,453 47.5% 10,683 1.6% 350
1936 46.1% 8,260 52.1% 9,326 1.8% 322
1932 40.1% 6,005 55.0% 8,246 4.9% 739
1928 68.5% 8,275 30.5% 3,688 0.9% 112
1924 60.8% 5,402 9.0% 801 30.1% 2,676
1920 66.3% 5,285 24.5% 1,957 9.2% 732

Today, it is a strongly Democratic county in presidential and congressional elections. The last Republican to carry the county was Ronald Reagan in 1980, and the last Republican to win a majority in the county was Richard Nixon in 1968. The last Republican to represent a significant portion of Santa Cruz in Congress was Burt L. Talcott, who was defeated in 1976 by Leon Panetta.[40]

Santa Cruz County is split between California's 18th and 20th congressional districts, represented by Anna Eshoo (DAtherton) and Sam Farr (DCarmel), respectively.[41]

In the State Assembly, Santa Cruz County is split between the 29th and 30th Assembly districts, represented by Democrat Mark Stone and Democrat Anna Caballero, respectively. In the State Senate, Santa Cruz County is entirely in the 17th Senate District, represented by Democrat Bill Monning.

In 2008, 71.4% of voters in Santa Cruz County voted against Proposition 8, which amended the California Constitution to ban same-gender marriages.

Voter registration

Cities by population and voter registration

Crime

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

Cities by population and crime rates

Economy

Top employers

According to the County's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[46] the top employers in the county are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 University of California, Santa Cruz 1,000-4,999
2 Pajaro Valley Unified School District 1,000-4,999
3 County of Santa Cruz 1,000-4,999
4 Dominican Hospital 1,000-4,999
5 Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk 1,000-4,999
6 Cabrillo College 500-999
7 Santa Cruz City School District 500-999
8 City of Santa Cruz 500-999
9 Seagate Technology 500-999
10 Watsonville Community Hospital 500-999
11 West Marine 500-999
12 Plantronics 500-999

Winemaking and wineries

Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Winemaking—both the growing of the grapes and their vinting—is an important part of the economic and cultural life of Santa Cruz County. The wines of the David Bruce Winery and Ridge Vineyards were selected for tasting in the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 (Tabor, p.167-169).

Education

Four-year universities

Two-year college

Transportation

Major highways

[California State Route 678 State Route 678

County routes

Public transportation

Santa Cruz County is served by the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District bus system.

An Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach "Highway 17 Express" bus between Santa Cruz and San Jose is jointly operated by Amtrak, the SCMTD and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Greyhound Lines bus service also serves Santa Cruz County.

Airports

Watsonville Municipal Airport is a public general aviation airport. There are two air carriers based at the airport offering on-demand air charter:

There is a notable private airport, Monterey Bay Academy Airport, which is a former military base.

The nearest airports for scheduled commercial travel include San Jose International Airport, Monterey Regional Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and Oakland International Airport.

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated community

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Santa Cruz County.[50]

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)

1 Santa Cruz City 59,946
2 Watsonville City 51,199
3 Live Oak CDP 17,158
4 Scotts Valley City 11,580
5 Capitola City 9,918
6 Soquel CDP 9,644
7 Rio del Mar CDP 9,216
8 Interlaken CDP 7,321
9 Ben Lomond CDP 6,234
10 Aptos CDP 6,220
11 Pleasure Point CDP 5,846
12 Boulder Creek CDP 4,923
13 Twin Lakes CDP 4,917
14 Felton CDP 4,057
15 Amesti CDP 3,478
16 Day Valley CDP 3,409
17 Seacliff CDP 3,267
18 Freedom CDP 3,070
19 La Selva Beach CDP 2,843
20 Bonny Doon CDP 2,678
21 Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley CDP 2,381
22 Corralitos CDP 2,326
23 Brookdale CDP 1,991
24 Lompico CDP 1,137
25 Pasatiempo CDP 1,041
26 Mount Hermon CDP 1,037
27 Zayante CDP 705
28 Davenport CDP 408
29 Paradise Park CDP 389
30 Pajaro Dunes CDP 144

See also

Sources

Notes

  1. Other = Some other race + Two or more races
  2. Native American = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander + American Indian or Alaska Native
  3. 1 2 Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.

References

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  2. "Mount Bielewski". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. "Central Coast". California State Parks. California Department of Recreation. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  6. "California: Consolidated Chronology of State and County Boundaries". The Newberry Library. 2003. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  8. Santa Cruz Outdoor Activities and Beaches
  9. santacruzpl.org
  10. "Species Profile California Clapper Rail". US Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 2015-01-29.
  11. "Species Profile California red-legged frog". US Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 2015-01-29.
  12. "Species Profile California tiger salamander". US Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 2015-01-29.
  13. "North-Central California Coast Recovery Program 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation of California Coastal Chinook Salmon ESU, Central California Coast Coho Salmon ESU" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
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  15. "Species Profile Mount Hermon June beetle". US Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 2015-01-29.
  16. "Species Profile Ohlone tiger beetle". US Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 2015-01-29.
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  24. 1 2 U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B03003. American FactFinder Archived September 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  25. 1 2 U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19301. American FactFinder Archived September 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  26. 1 2 U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013. American FactFinder Archived September 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  27. 1 2 U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19113. American FactFinder Archived September 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  28. 1 2 U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. American FactFinder Archived September 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
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  32. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
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  35. "2010 Census P.L. 94-171 Summary File Data". United States Census Bureau.
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  37. Bookwalter, Genevieve (August 15, 2006). "Santa Cruz residents more educated than most". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved February 6, 2008
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  39. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/
  40. "Santa Cruz County Election Results, November 2004 (pdf)" (PDF). Retrieved May 4, 2006.
  41. "California's 18th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
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  44. Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.
  45. 1 2 3 United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California). Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  46. County of Santa Cruz CAFR
  47. McCord, Shanna (June 14, 2011). "Bethany University will close: Private funding didn't materialize". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  48. flyairmonterey.com
  49. specializedheli.com
  50. http://www.census.gov/2010census/
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