How long do people stay in their homes in Santa Cruz, CA?

Name: How long people stay in Santa Cruz, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

32.4% (±2.9 points) of households in Santa Cruz, CA moved into their current home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

18.4% have lived in it since before 2000.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Moved in 2020 or later: 32.4% (±2.9 points)
Since before 2000: 18.4%

When households in Santa Cruz moved in

Occupied housing units by year the householder moved in, 2020–2024
Moved in	Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz County	California	United States
2023 or later	7.1% (±1.4 points)	4.0%	4.3%	4.6%
2020 to 2022	25.3% (±2.5 points)	17.2%	19.1%	20.2%
2010 to 2019	33.8% (±2.5 points)	37.9%	41.2%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	15.3% (±1.9 points)	18.5%	17.0%	16.4%
1990 to 1999	9.5% (±1.6 points)	11.2%	9.7%	9.6%
1989 or earlier	8.9% (±1.3 points)	11.2%	8.8%	9.5%

A high share of recent movers usually means more renting households and more turnover; a high share of long-time residents usually means more owners who have stayed.

In Santa Cruz, the share of households that moved in since 2020 is higher than in Santa Cruz County (21.2%).

It is also higher than in California (23.4%).

It is higher than the national figure (24.8%).

Households that moved in since 2020 in places near Santa Cruz

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Santa Cruz
Place	Distance	Households that moved in since 2020	Compared with this place
Santa Cruz	—	32.4% (±2.9 points)	—
Twin Lakes	2.6 mi	38.9% (±7.7 points)	Not measurably different
Live Oak (community)	3.1 mi	23.5% (±4.2 points)	Lower
Pleasure Point	3.7 mi	22.6% (±6.4 points)	Lower
Capitola	4.5 mi	18.8% (±4.1 points)	Lower
Soquel	5.1 mi	10.5% (±3.2 points)	Lower
Felton	5.1 mi	24.1% (±8.4 points)	Not measurably different
Scotts Valley	5.8 mi	19.9% (±4.8 points)	Lower
Seacliff	6.4 mi	26.6% (±8.3 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Live Oak (community), CA (23.5%), Pleasure Point, CA (22.6%), Capitola, CA (18.8%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that moved in since 2020 across Santa Cruz County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that moved in since 2020
1	Brookdale	48.0% (±28.9 points)
2	Twin Lakes	38.9% (±7.7 points)
3	Santa Cruz	32.4% (±2.9 points)
4 (tie)	Boulder Creek	26.6% (±9.2 points)
4 (tie)	Seacliff	26.6% (±8.3 points)
6	Corralitos	24.6% (±14.9 points)
7	Felton	24.1% (±8.4 points)
8	Live Oak (community)	23.5% (±4.2 points)
9	Pleasure Point	22.6% (±6.4 points)

Showing 9 of 23 places in Santa Cruz County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Santa Cruz

How often do people move in Santa Cruz?

32.4% of households in Santa Cruz, CA moved into their home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many long-time residents does Santa Cruz have?

18.4% of households in Santa Cruz have lived in their home since 1999 or earlier.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Santa Cruz city, California

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Santa Cruz city, California (place:69112, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0051PE, DP04_0051PM, DP04_0052PE, DP04_0052PM, DP04_0053PE, DP04_0053PM, DP04_0054PE, DP04_0054PM, DP04_0055PE, DP04_0055PM, DP04_0056PE, DP04_0056PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.