City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Scotts Valley, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Scotts Valley - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

12,138
Residents
$140,887
Median income
$1,092,000
Median home
$4,214
Median rent (state)

Scotts Valley - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Scotts Valley places in the 93rd percentile for household income and the 34th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

93rd
percentile, household income
98th
percentile, home value
100th
percentile, median rent
34th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Scotts Valley, CA

12,138 people live in Scotts Valley, California - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Scotts Valley households earn a median of $140,887 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.7%. Home values in Scotts Valley run a median of $1,092,000, and the median resident age is 47.8 years. About 54.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 62.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 2 residential building permits were authorized in Scotts Valley (Construction Slowdown), down 67% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1904.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $4,214 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Scotts Valley report an average commute of 18.7 minutes, with 66.7% driving alone and 24.5% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 97.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

12,138 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$140,887 /yr

Poverty 0.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Scotts Valley compare to other US cities?

Here's how Scotts Valley stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 93% higher than other cities
Home value 98% pricier than other cities
Median rent 100% pricier than other cities
Safety 34% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, Scotts Valley ranks #221 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Scotts Valley against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent is Scotts Valley's strongest outlier among California cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Scotts Valley ranks #1 - the 97th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Scotts Valley only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#210 of 1,338
84th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 1,458
97th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#199 of 1,343
85th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#1,182 of 1,450
18th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#226 of 1,458
84th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

93rdIncome percentile
34thSafety percentile

93rd percentile nationally for median household income · 34th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Scotts Valley's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Scotts Valley's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 43 Avg. percentile National median
Scotts Valley's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Scotts Valley's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,092,000 2nd percentile more affordable than 2% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Scotts Valley $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Scotts Valley, CA Scotts Valley, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Scotts Valley, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Scotts Valley, CA median $140,887/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Scotts Valley, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Scotts Valley, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 54.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
12,138
Median Income
$140,887
Median Home Value
$1,092,000
Median Age
47.8
Poverty Rate
0.7%
Labor force participation
62.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
54.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1904.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
306.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1598.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
11,400 residents11,600 residents11,800 residents12,000 residents12,200 residents12,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 12,223 residents 11,652 residents ▼ -4.7%
Scotts Valley's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 6
2020 11
2021 34
2022 44
2023 2
2024 2

Permit volume decreased 67% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
18.7 minutes
Drive Alone
66.7%
Carpool
3.6%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
24.5%
Other
3.1%

Based on 6,142 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Scotts Valley sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$4,214/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Tamalpais-Homestead Valley
12,153 people
Commerce
12,072 people
San Marino
12,279 people
Newman
12,299 people
Tehachapi
12,366 people
Rossmoor
11,895 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Scotts Valley's 12,138 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Macedonia, OH
12,142 people
Gardere, LA
12,130 people
Richmond, TX
12,117 people
Somerset, KY
12,108 people
Dent, OH
12,097 people
Babylon, NY
12,182 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Scotts Valley's $140,887 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Park City, UT
$140,875 median income
Rivanna, VA
$140,903 median income
Naples, FL
$140,833 median income
Fox Point, WI
$140,818 median income
Chesterbrook, PA
$140,972 median income
Sound Beach, NY
$140,797 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Scotts Valley, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Scotts Valley, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 79.3% 6.9% 8.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.8% White 79.3% Black or African American 0.5% Asian 6.9% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.3% Two or more races 8.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Scotts Valley compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Scotts Valley (this city) 12,138 $140,887
Tamalpais-Homestead Valley 12,153 $238,158
Commerce 12,072 $71,768
San Marino 12,279 $187,633
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Scotts Valley, CA?

What is the population of Scotts Valley, CA? +

Scotts Valley, CA counts 12,138 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Scotts Valley, CA? +

The median household income in Scotts Valley is $140,887 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Scotts Valley? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Scotts Valley; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Scotts Valley, CA safe? +

Scotts Valley has a total crime rate of 1904.0 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Scotts Valley, CA? +

A typical home in Scotts Valley is worth $1,092,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.