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Santa Cruz County

California

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The Cities and communities of Santa Cruz County, California *

Amesti, Aptos, Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley

Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek

Capitola (city), Corralitos

Day Valley

Felton, Freedom

Interlaken

Live Oak

Opal Cliffs

Rio del Mar, Royal Oaks

Santa Cruz (city and County Seat), Scotts Valley (city), Soquel

Twin Lakes

Watsonville (city)

*This list of cities may not be complete. The list may contain towns, cities, villages, boroughs, neighborhoods, townships, ghost towns and other populated places.

If you have information about anyof these unlinked communities, please send it to us and we will add a page for that community. Some of these places above may only be neighborhoods or local area names and are not listed with the census at all or just included in a larger surrounding designated census area..

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Information & Facts about Santa Cruz County, California

Government

Santa Cruz County official Website
701 Ocean Street
Santa Cruz, CA

Santa Cruz County Government employs 2,669 people in 20 agencies and departments
The annual budget is approximately $317 million. (2000)

The county has four incorporated cities, from largest to smallest - Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Scotts Valley and Capitola

The county seat is Santa Cruz.

The county is part of the Santa Cruz-Watsonville PMSA (Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area) and the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose CMSA (Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area)

Population:

2000 - 255,602 people
2010 - 262,382 people
2013 - 269,444 people
2014 - 271,804 people

Census Bureau information

Other Facts & Figures:

Per capita income: $32,295 (2013)
Median income: $66,519 (2013)

Median value home value: $377,500

Location:

The county is on the California coast extending from the northern end of Monterey Bay. It is 65 miles south of San Francisco, 35 miles noth of Monterey and 35 miles southwest of the Silicon Valley area. Scotts Valley, in the northern end of the county, is considered the southern end of the famous "Silicon Valley."

This map page has many options for maps

Climate:

The county has an ideal climate with low humidity and 300 days of sunshine each year. The climate is considered to be Mediterranean, which is a mild-type climate. Summer averages are in the mid 70's with winter averages in the mid 50s.
Average Rainfall: 31 inches per year - mostly between November and April
Some fog is expected year-round
Average temperature chart and average rainfall chart

Economy:

The local economy is mainly anchored by high technology, tourism and agriculture. Education is also strong with UC Santa Cruz and CSU Santa Cruz.

History:

Mission Santa Cruz was founded in 1792 as one of the famed California missions. The mission was erected on what would become the city of Santa Cruz. The county was one of the original California Counties in 1850 when California joined the Union. The first name was Branciforte. Over the first few years, the boundaries changed, but have remained more constant since that time.

Local history page

Historical photographs

This history page has good information and historical pictures

Geography:

Total area: 607 square miles
Land area: 445 square miles
Water area: 162 square miles

The county is 26.67% water

More about the habitats in Santa Cruz County

Genealogy:

US GenWeb for Santa Cruz County
Cemeteries
of Santa Cruz County
Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County

Libraries:

County Law Library
701 Ocean Street, Room 070 (downstairs)
Santa Cruz, CA

Santa Cruz Public Libraries
1543 Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: 831-420-5600

Schools:

Santa Cruz County Office of Education
809-H Bay Avenue
Capitola, CA
Phone: 831-476-7140

Cabrillo College
6500 Soquel Drive
Aptos, CA 95003
Phone: 831-479-6100

CSU Monterey Bay
100 Campus Center
Seaside, CA 93955
Phone: 831-582-3000

University of California at Santa Cruz

Organizations & Groups:

Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments
(AMBAG)
445 Reservation Rd.
Marina, CA 93933
Phone: 831-883-3750

Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce
General Information: 831-457-3713

Santa Cruz Conference and Visitors Council
303 Water Street, Suite 100
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: 831-425-1234
Toll-free: 800-833-3494

Attractions & Other Information:

The county is known as the Gateway to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
There are 29 miles of beaches!! With six state parks and six state beaches.

Recreational activities abound with sailing, fishing, tennis, golf, hiking and much, much more. State parks have 42,334 acres in the county with 850 acres of parks maintained by the county. City parks are numerous.

Cultural opportunities include: Santa Cruz County Symphony, Cabrillo Music Festival, McPherson Museum of Art and History, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, UC Performing Arts Center and more

Birds in Santa Cruz County

Mission Santa Cruz State Historical Park
144 School Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: 831-425-5849

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Beaches

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This page was last updated on 3 July 2015 at 11:01 pm

This page was created on 15 October 2003