City · California
Watsonville, California
Watsonville, city, in Santa Cruz County, California. Watsonville had 50,716 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 52,590 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 51,712 (±34). GEOID 0683668.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
50,716
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 52,590 · ACS 2020-2024: 51,712 ±34
Median household income
$78,393
±$5,682 (90% margin)
California: $99,122
Median home value
$686,000
±$24,605 (90% margin)
California: $734,700
Median gross rent
$1,889
±$100 (90% margin)
California: $2,036
Where is Watsonville and what county is it in?
Watsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California. It covers 6.8 square miles of land, 7,750 residents per square mile in 2020.
Watsonville is in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Watsonville, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 50,716 people lived in Watsonville on July 1, 2025, down 3.5% since 2020, a steeper fall than California's (−0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 52,590 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 51,712 (±34).
| Measure | Watsonville | Santa Cruz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 51,712 ±34 | 264,926 | −2,088 |
| Households | 15,151 ±578 | 96,898 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.36 ±0.13 | 2.58 | −0.27 |
| Housing units | 15,790 ±622 | 106,977 | no clear change |
Watsonville's population since 2000
From 44,265 in 2000 to 50,716 in 2025: up 14.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Watsonville as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
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 Watsonville?
The median resident of Watsonville is 33.8 years old; 29.1% are under 18 and 13.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 82.3%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 12.7%. 35.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Watsonville | Santa Cruz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.8 ±1.2 | 39.8 | +3.2 |
| Under 18 years | 29.1% ±1.2 pts | 18.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 13.0% ±1.3 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Male | 49.8% ±1.3 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 82.3% ±1.7 pts | 35.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 12.7% ±1.5 pts | 53.9% | −2.5 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±0.7 pts | 4.7% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±0.5 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 35.5% ±2.2 pts | 18.0% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 74.5% ±2.4 pts | 33.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.1% ±0.5 pts | 3.7% | – |
| With a disability | 11.9% ±1.5 pts | 11.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.2% ±1.4 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 65.2% ±2.8 pts | 88.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.4% ±1.4 pts | 43.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.9% ±0.9 pts | 18.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.7% ±1.3 pts | 86.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 1.2% | – |
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 Watsonville earn?
Half of Watsonville's 15,151 households earn less than $78,393 a year (±$5,682), against $111,093 in Santa Cruz County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 the median was $68,267 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $10,126 after inflation. 14.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Watsonville | Santa Cruz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,393 ±$5,682 | $111,093 | +$10,126 |
| Mean household income | $96,285 ±$5,596 | $156,439 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,021 ±$1,373 | $56,941 | +$2,338 |
| People below the poverty line | 14.7% ±2.3 pts | 11.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.5% ±4.6 pts | 11.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 20.6% ±2.9 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.9% ±2.3 pts | 97.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.5% ±2.6 pts | 94.2% | – |
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 Watsonville?
Owners occupy 44.8% of Watsonville's occupied homes and renters 55.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $686,000 by its owner (±$24,605). The median renter pays $1,889 a month including utilities, and 48.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Watsonville | Santa Cruz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $686,000 ±$24,605 | $1,027,500 | +$114,712 |
| Median gross rent | $1,889 ±$100 | $2,264 | +$155 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 48.4% ±4.4 pts | 43.7% | −8.9 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,745 ±$174 | $3,524 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 44.8% ±3.1 pts | 59.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 55.2% ±3.1 pts | 40.1% | – |
| Housing units | 15,790 ±622 | 106,977 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.4% ±1.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 52.5% ±3.1 pts | 63.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.1% ±1.6 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.3% ±1.1 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 11.6% ±1.9 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.0% ±1.5 pts | 5.2% | – |
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 many new homes is Watsonville building?
Builders took permits for 57 new housing units in Watsonville in 2025 (57 in single-family houses), 1.1 per 1,000 residents against 2.6 across California.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Watsonville work and get to work?
70.8% of Watsonville's workers drive alone and 6.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.7%.
| Measure | Watsonville | Santa Cruz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.2% ±2.2 pts | 62.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7% ±1.7 pts | 6.1% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 70.8% ±3.0 pts | 62.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 16.0% ±2.8 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.4% ±0.7 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Walked | 1.3% ±0.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.4% ±1.5 pts | 19.3% | +2.2 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.1 min ±1.3 | 25.7 min | no clear change |
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 Watsonville?
14 census tracts lie mostly in Watsonville, and 5 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $47,391 (Tract 1103.01) to $109,493 (Tract 1101.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1105.05Santa Cruz County | 5,016 | $92,250 |
| Tract 1104.02Santa Cruz County | 5,066 | $93,768 |
| Tract 1101.02Santa Cruz County | 4,333 | $75,521 |
| Tract 1106.01Santa Cruz County | 4,692 | $66,136 |
| Tract 1103.01Santa Cruz County | 4,096 | $47,391 |
| Tract 1102.02Santa Cruz County | 3,969 | $61,496 |
| Tract 1105.06Santa Cruz County | 3,265 | $100,388 |
| Tract 1106.02Santa Cruz County | 3,237 | $72,117 |
| Tract 1103.02Santa Cruz County | 3,209 | $53,438 |
| Tract 1105.03Santa Cruz County | 3,189 | $75,800 |
| Tract 1102.01Santa Cruz County | 3,176 | $84,931 |
| Tract 1104.01Santa Cruz County | 3,385 | $71,078 |
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 Watsonville) · Census block assignment files
How does Watsonville compare with other places in California?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Watsonville is the 808th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 176th-most populous of 483 in California.
Watsonville ranks 704th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 176th | 483 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 345th | 469 |
| Residents per square mile | 111th | 1,077 |
| Median household income | 704th | 1,037 |
| Per capita income | 833rd | 1,073 |
| Median home value | 450th | 1,054 |
| Median gross rent | 466th | 987 |
| Poverty rate | 286th | 836 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 863rd | 988 |
| Median age | 852nd | 1,075 |
| Owner-occupied share | 958th | 1,064 |
| Work from home | 748th | 822 |
| Travel time to work | 651st | 1,069 |
Watsonville's figures with every place in California (CSV)
Every place in California, sortable · Compare Watsonville 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 Watsonville?
7 of the 57 figures for Watsonville 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 Watsonville 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' public schools in Watsonville.