What percentage of people rent in Watsonville, CA?

Name: Renters and owners in Watsonville, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

55.2% (±3.1 points) of the occupied homes in Watsonville, CA are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 8,358 renting households against 6,793 that own their home.

In Watsonville, the share of households that rent went from 56.8% in 2015–2019 to 55.2% in 2020–2024 (−1.6 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 55.2% (±3.1 points)
Renting households: 8,358 (±535)
Median renter income: $64,358 (±$9,041)

Who rents and who owns in Watsonville

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Watsonville	Santa Cruz County	California	United States
Renter-occupied share	55.2% (±3.1 points)	40.1% (±1.1 points)	44.1% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	8,358 (±535)	38,819 (±1,148)	5,980,523 (±22,985)	45,017,354
Owning households	6,793 (±562)	58,079 (±1,134)	7,567,568 (±37,334)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	3.6 (±0.2)	2.6 (±0.1)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	3.1 (±0.2)	2.6 (±0.0)	3.0 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$64,358 (±$9,041)	$80,482 (±$3,959)	$71,186 (±$298)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$99,590 (±$9,127)	$139,862 (±$5,323)	$127,456 (±$424)	$100,009

In Watsonville, the renter share is higher than in Santa Cruz County (40.1%).

It is also higher than in California (44.1%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In Santa Cruz County, Watsonville ranks 2 of 23 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 120 of 1,076.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Watsonville has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	56.8% (±2.8 points)	55.2% (±3.1 points)	−1.6 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,409 (±$55)	$1,889 (±$100)	+34.1%	Up after inflation
Median household income	$55,470 (±$2,920)	$78,393 (±$5,682)	+41.3%	Up after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Watsonville

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Watsonville
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Watsonville	—	55.2% (±3.1 points)	—
Freedom	1.7 mi	43.4% (±11.2 points)	Lower
Pajaro	2.3 mi	68.7% (±12.3 points)	Higher
Amesti	2.5 mi	19.3% (±8.4 points)	Lower
Interlaken	2.7 mi	33.6% (±8.6 points)	Lower
La Selva Beach	4.0 mi	21.6% (±9.1 points)	Lower
Corralitos	4.3 mi	20.4% (±12.5 points)	Lower
Las Lomas	4.4 mi	39.9% (±15.6 points)	Not measurably different
Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley	4.4 mi	21.1% (±11.5 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Freedom, CA (43.4%), Amesti, CA (19.3%), Interlaken, CA (33.6%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Pajaro, CA (68.7%).

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

Households that rent across Santa Cruz County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	Twin Lakes	59.2% (±7.9 points)
2	Watsonville	55.2% (±3.1 points)
3	Brookdale	54.8% (±16.8 points)
4	Santa Cruz	51.6% (±2.5 points)
5	Capitola	47.8% (±5.5 points)
6	Seacliff	47.3% (±8.8 points)
7	Freedom	43.4% (±11.2 points)
8	Live Oak (community)	41.3% (±4.0 points)

Showing 8 of 23 places in Santa Cruz County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Watsonville

How many renters are there in Watsonville?

Watsonville has an estimated 8,358 (±535) renting households, 55.2% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Watsonville?

In Watsonville, the share of households that rent went from 56.8% in 2015–2019 to 55.2% in 2020–2024 (−1.6 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Watsonville?

A renting household in Watsonville has 3.6 people on average, against 3.1 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Watsonville?

The median renting household in Watsonville, CA has an income of $64,358 (±$9,041) a year, against $99,590 for households that own their home.

Sources

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) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Watsonville city, California (place:83668, in state:06).

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

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

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.