Census-designated place · California

Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County), California

Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County), census-designated place, in Santa Cruz County, California. Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) had 4,944 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,073 (±538). GEOID 0681050.

Residents, 2020 Census

4,944

Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 5,073 ±538

Median household income

$90,087

±$7,591 (90% margin)
California: $99,122

Median home value

$959,100

±$189,286 (90% margin)
California: $734,700

Median gross rent

$2,344

±$216 (90% margin)
California: $2,036

Where is Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) and what county is it in?

Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Santa Cruz County, California. It covers 0.7 square miles of land, 7,155 residents per square mile in 2020.

Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) is in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) (marked with a dot) in Santa Cruz County, California. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County), and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 4,944 residents in Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County), a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 5,073 (±538).

The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.

ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)Santa Cruz CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
Total population 5,073 ±538 264,926 39,287,377 no clear change
Households 2,434 ±218 96,898 13,548,091 no clear change
Average household size 2.00 ±0.14 2.58 2.84 no clear change
Housing units 2,909 ±205 106,977 14,644,735 no clear change

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)?

The median resident of Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) is 37.7 years old; 14.1% are under 18 and 19.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 66.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 21.1%. 8.0% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)Santa Cruz CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
Median age 37.7 ±3.9 39.8 37.9 no clear change
Under 18 years 14.1% ±2.9 pts 18.4% 22.0% –
65 years and over 19.7% ±5.3 pts 19.0% 15.7% –
Male 46.7% ±4.5 pts 49.8% 49.9% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 21.1% ±6.8 pts 35.2% 40.2% no clear change
White alone, not Hispanic 66.7% ±7.1 pts 53.9% 33.8% no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 1.7% ±1.7 pts 0.7% 5.2% –
Asian alone, not Hispanic 4.3% ±3.4 pts 4.7% 15.3% –
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.1% ±0.3 pts 0.1% 0.3% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.8 pts 0.1% 0.3% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 4.8% ±2.3 pts 4.5% 4.4% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 1.3% ±1.5 pts 0.7% 0.6% –
Born outside the United States 8.0% ±3.8 pts 18.0% 27.0% −8.9 pts
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 16.8% ±6.1 pts 33.6% 44.4% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 7.3% ±4.2 pts 3.7% 4.3% –
With a disability 9.0% ±3.0 pts 11.5% 11.6% –
No health insurance coverage 2.2% ±1.6 pts 4.9% 6.6% –
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 95.1% ±2.7 pts 88.6% 84.7% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 48.3% ±7.4 pts 43.9% 37.1% no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 21.4% ±5.0 pts 18.6% 14.4% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 74.7% ±8.6 pts 86.2% 89.2% –
Moved from another state in the past year 0.7% ±0.7 pts 1.2% 1.1% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov

What do households in Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) earn?

Half of Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)'s 2,434 households earn less than $90,087 a year (±$7,591), against $111,093 in Santa Cruz County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 the median was $65,852 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $24,235 after inflation. 10.6% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)Santa Cruz CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $90,087 ±$7,591 $111,093 $99,122 +$24,235
Mean household income $132,923 ±$20,998 $156,439 $140,436 –
Per capita income $65,227 ±$10,099 $56,941 $49,513 no clear change
People below the poverty line 10.6% ±5.4 pts 11.6% 12.0% no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line 18.5% ±21.0 pts 11.9% 15.0% –
Households receiving SNAP 11.9% ±5.7 pts 9.9% 12.4% –
Households with a computer 97.2% ±3.1 pts 97.1% 96.9% –
Households with a broadband subscription 97.1% ±2.3 pts 94.2% 93.5% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What does housing cost in Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)?

Owners occupy 40.8% of Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)'s occupied homes and renters 59.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $959,100 by its owner (±$189,286). The median renter pays $2,344 a month including utilities, and 45.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)Santa Cruz CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $959,100 ±$189,286 $1,027,500 $734,700 no clear change
Median gross rent $2,344 ±$216 $2,264 $2,036 +$526
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 45.9% ±7.2 pts 43.7% 46.0% no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $2,803 ±$291 $3,524 $2,946 –
Owner-occupied homes 40.8% ±7.9 pts 59.9% 55.9% no clear change
Renter-occupied homes 59.2% ±7.9 pts 40.1% 44.1% –
Housing units 2,909 ±205 106,977 14,644,735 no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate 0.9% ±1.4 pts 0.9% 0.8% –
Rental vacancy rate 2.2% ±3.2 pts 3.7% 4.2% –
Single-family detached homes 37.6% ±6.9 pts 63.3% 57.0% –
Mobile homes 11.0% ±4.5 pts 6.6% 3.5% –
Built 2020 or later 3.1% ±2.5 pts 0.5% 1.3% –
Built 2010 to 2019 4.7% ±4.1 pts 3.9% 6.5% –
Built 1939 or earlier 9.7% ±4.1 pts 11.9% 8.9% –
Households with no vehicle 6.7% ±3.5 pts 5.2% 7.1% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov

How do people in Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) work and get to work?

67.2% of Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)'s workers drive alone and 15.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.5 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)Santa Cruz CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 70.7% ±6.7 pts 62.8% 63.8% –
Unemployment rate 3.5% ±2.6 pts 6.1% 6.6% –
Drove alone to work 67.2% ±7.0 pts 62.2% 65.7% –
Carpooled 4.3% ±3.1 pts 8.1% 9.5% –
Public transportation 2.1% ±2.3 pts 1.9% 2.9% –
Walked 4.2% ±2.5 pts 4.2% 2.4% –
Worked from home 15.1% ±5.7 pts 19.3% 17.2% –
Mean travel time to work 20.5 min ±2.1 25.7 min 28.7 min −11.0 min

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What census tracts are in Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)?

2 census tracts lie mostly in Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County), and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $87,737 (Tract 1215.02) to $108,158 (Tract 1215.01).

Census tracts in Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County), ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)
Tract 1215.01Santa Cruz County2,705 $108,158 $1,194,400100%
Tract 1215.02Santa Cruz County2,368 $87,737 $895,000100%
Tract 9901Santa Cruz County0 not published not published7%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)) · Census block assignment files

How does Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) compare with other places in California?

Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) ranks 562nd of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)'s rank in California (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population (ACS 2020-2024)657th1,076
Residents per square mile134th1,077
Median household income562nd1,037
Per capita income222nd1,073
Median home value241st1,054
Median gross rent258th987
Poverty rate447th836
Bachelor's degree or higher246th988
Median age646th1,075
Owner-occupied share995th1,064
Work from home445th822
Travel time to work942nd1,069

Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)'s figures with every place in California (CSV)

Every place in California, sortable · Compare Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) with other places

Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed

How reliable are the figures for Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County)?

15 of the 57 figures for Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.

The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation

How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections

Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Twin Lakes (Santa Cruz County) are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.