Marin County vs Santa Cruz County
A side-by-side comparison of Marin County and Santa Cruz County: population, income, housing, and more.
Marin County and Santa Cruz County are counties in California. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Santa Cruz County has the higher population (266,021 vs 258,765 in Marin County). Marin County has the higher median household income ($142,785 vs $109,266 in Santa Cruz County). Marin County has the higher median home value ($1,390,000 vs $1,015,200 in Santa Cruz County).
Population, income & housing
| Marin County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 258,765 | 266,021 |
| Median age | 47.3 yrs | 39.6 yrs |
| Median household income | $142,785 | $109,266 |
| Median home value | $1,390,000 | $1,015,200 |
| Median gross rent | $2,584 | $2,172 |
| Housing units | 111,860 | 106,635 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.9% | 60.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.5% | 43.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% | 5.6% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Marin County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 259,943 → 258,765 (-0.5%) | 273,962 → 266,021 (-2.9%) |
| Median household income | $115,246 → $142,785 (+23.9%) | $82,234 → $109,266 (+32.9%) |
| Median home value | $995,800 → $1,390,000 (+39.6%) | $756,600 → $1,015,200 (+34.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $2,069 → $2,584 (+24.9%) | $1,717 → $2,172 (+26.5%) |
Marin County
259,943258,765
$115,246$142,785
$995,800$1,390,000
$2,069$2,584
Santa Cruz County
273,962266,021
$82,234$109,266
$756,600$1,015,200
$1,717$2,172
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Marin County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.4% | 4.5% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.3% | 14.2% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.9% | 13.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.5% | 12.0% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.8% | 12.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.9% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.0% | 13.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 75 and over | 10.2% | 6.8% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Marin County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.6% | 54.6% |
| Black or African American | 2.1% | 0.7% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 6.1% | 4.5% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| Two or more races | 5.2% | 4.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.0% | 35.0% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Marin County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.3% | 11.5% |
| High school graduate | 10.8% | 15.2% |
| Some college or associate's | 21.5% | 29.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 33.2% | 25.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 27.2% | 18.3% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Marin County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 53.7% | 63.4% |
| Carpooled | 7.7% | 8.5% |
| Public transit | 4.9% | 1.9% |
| Walked | 3.5% | 4.3% |
| Bicycle | 1.0% | 2.1% |
| Worked from home | 27.9% | 17.6% |
| Other means | 1.3% | 2.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Marin County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 62.9% | 63.8% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.7% | 8.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 8.5% | 8.2% |
| 5 to 19 units | 10.4% | 6.4% |
| 20 or more units | 8.7% | 6.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.6% | 6.8% |
Poverty & households
| Marin County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 11.2% |
| Average household size | 2.44 | 2.60 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 28 | 27 |
| Median year structure built | 1966 | 1973 |
Full profiles
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