View source for Santa Cruz, California

{{Short description|City in California, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See the table at Template:Infobox settlement for all fields and descriptions of their usage. -->
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
 | name                     = Santa Cruz, California
 | settlement_type          = [[List of municipalities in California|City]]
 | other_name               = 
 | native_name              = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
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  | image1                 = Downtown santa cruz, cropped (cropped).jpg
  | alt1                   = View of downtown Santa Cruz
  | caption1               = View of downtown Santa Cruz
  | image2                 = Santa Cruz, California, USA - Mission Santa Cruz -144 School St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 - panoramio (cropped).jpg
  | alt2                   = Mission Santa Cruz replica
  | caption2               = [[Mission Santa Cruz]] 
  | image3                 = Santa Cruz, CA, USA - panoramio (10).jpg
  | alt3                   = Santa Cruz coastline
  | caption3               = Santa Cruz coastline
  | image4                 = USA-Santa Cruz-Post Office-3.jpg
  | alt4                   = The historic post office
  | caption4               = The historic post office
  | image5                 = Downtown Santa Cruz (cropped).jpg
  | alt5                   = Downtown Santa Cruz
  | caption5               = Downtown Santa Cruz
  | image6                 = Santa Cruz, California - Boardwalk (cropped).jpg
  | alt6                   = Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
  | caption6               = [[Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk]]
  }}
 | image_flag               = <!-- Santa Cruz County Flag.gif -->
 | image_seal               = Seal of the City of Santa Cruz.jpg
 | image_blank_emblem       = Logo of Santa Cruz, California.png
 | blank_emblem_type        = [[Logo]]
 | nickname                 = Surf City<ref name="Real Surf City">{{cite news|author=Steve Marble|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/06/the-real-surf-city-why-that-would-be-santa-cruz.html|title=The real Surf City? It's Santa Cruz, says magazine|series=L.A. Now blog|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 16, 2009|date=June 16, 2009}}</ref>
 | motto                    = 
 | image_map                = Santa Cruz County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Santa Cruz Highlighted.svg
| map_caption = Location in [[Santa Cruz County, California|Santa Cruz County]] and the state of [[California]]
| pushpin_map = United States 
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the United States
<!-- Location ------------->
 | coordinates              = {{coord|36|58|19|N|122|1|35|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
 | subdivision_type         = Country
 | subdivision_name         = United States
 | subdivision_type1        = State
 | subdivision_name1        = [[California]]
 | subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in California|County]]
 | subdivision_name2        = [[Santa Cruz County, California|Santa Cruz]]
<!-- History -------------->
 | established_title        = [[Mission Santa Cruz|Mission]]
 | established_date         = September 25, 1791<ref>{{Cite book|author=Yenne, Bill|year=2004|title=The Missions of California|publisher=Thunder Bay Press, San Diego, California|isbn=978-1-59223-319-9|page=112}}</ref>
 | established_title2       = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
 | established_date2        = March 31, 1866<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc|title=California Cities by Incorporation Date|format=Word|publisher=California Association of [[Local Agency Formation Commission]]s|access-date=August 25, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130221091414/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc|archive-date=February 21, 2013}}</ref>
 | established_title3       = [[Charter city|Chartered]]
 | established_date3        = April 1876<ref name=govt>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/home/showdocument?id=38844|title=A Guide to Your City Government|publisher=City of Santa Cruz|access-date=February 4, 2015|archive-date=April 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417031506/https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/home/showdocument?id=38844|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<!-- Government ----------->
 | government_type          = [[Council–manager government|Council/Manager]]<ref name=govt/>
 | leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
 | leader_name              = [[Fred Keeley]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-council/|title=City Council &#124; City of Santa Cruz }}</ref>
 | leader_title1            = [[California's 17th State Senate district|State senator]]
 | leader_name1             = {{Representative|casd|17 | fmt = sleader}}<ref name=swd/>
 | leader_title2            = [[California's 28th State Assembly district|Assemblymember]]
 | leader_name2             = {{Representative|caad|28 | fmt = sleader}}<ref name=swd>{{Cite web|url=http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html|title=Statewide Database|publisher=UC Regents|access-date=October 8, 2014}}</ref>
 | leader_title3            = [[California's 19th congressional district|U. S. Rep.]]
 | leader_name3             = {{Representative|cacd|19 | fmt = usleader}}<ref name=gt20>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|19|access-date=September 24, 2014}}</ref>
<!-- Area ----------------->
 | total_type               = [[List of municipalities in California|City]]
 | unit_pref                = Imperial
 | area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 30, 2021}}</ref>
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 15.83
 | area_total_km2           = 40.99
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 12.74
 | area_land_km2            = 33.00
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 3.09
 | area_water_km2           = 8.00
 | area_water_percent       = 19.51
 | area_urban_km2           = 151.1
 | area_urban_sq_mi         = 58.4
 | area_metro_sq_mi         = 607
<!-- Elevation ------------>
 | elevation_footnotes      = <ref>{{Cite GNIS|1659596|Santa Cruz}}</ref>
 | elevation_ft             = 36
 | elevation_m              = 11
<!-- Population ----------->
 | population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
 | population_footnotes     = <ref name="2020 census"/>
 | population_total         = 62956
 | pop_est_as_of            = 2024
 | population_est           = 62581
 | pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=QuickFacts: Santa Cruz city, California|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/santacruzcitycalifornia|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 3, 2025}}</ref>
 | population_urban         = 163703
 | population_urban_footnotes = <ref name="CensusUrbanAreaList">{{Cite web|url=https://dof.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/Forecasting/Demographics/Documents/E-1_2022PressRelease.pdf|title=Census Urban Area List|publisher=California Department of Finance|access-date=January 24, 2023|archive-date=May 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525233629/https://dof.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/Forecasting/Demographics/Documents/E-1_2022PressRelease.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | population_metro         = 262382
 | population_metro_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/320M100US0642100|title=American FactFinder|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 20, 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150420195133/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/320M100US0642100|archive-date=April 20, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<!-- Time zones ----------->
 | timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]]
 | utc_offset               = −8
 | timezone_DST             = [[Pacific Daylight Time|PDT]]
 | utc_offset_DST           = −7
<!-- Codes ---------------->
 | postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action|title=ZIP Code(tm) Lookup|publisher=United States Postal Service|access-date=December 1, 2014}}</ref>
 | postal_code              = 95060–95067
 | area_code                = [[Area code 831|831]]
 | area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
 | blank_name_sec1          = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS]] code
 | blank_info_sec1          = {{FIPS|06|69112}}
 | blank1_name_sec1         = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
 | blank1_info_sec1         = {{GNIS 4|1659596}}, {{GNIS 4|2411820}}
 | website                  = {{URL|https://www.cityofsantacruz.com|cityofsantacruz.com}}
 | footnotes                = 
 | population_density_km2   = auto
}}

'''Santa Cruz''' ({{langnf|es||Holy Cross}}) is the largest city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Santa Cruz County, California]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the city population was 62,956.<ref name="2020 census">{{cite web|title=US Census Bureau 2020 QuickFacts: Santa Cruz, CA|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/santacruzcitycalifornia/POP010220#POP010220}}</ref> Situated on the northern edge of [[Monterey Bay]], Santa Cruz is a popular tourist destination, owing to its beaches, [[surf culture]], and historic landmarks.

Santa Cruz was founded by the Spanish in 1791, when [[Fermín de Lasuén]] established [[Mission Santa Cruz]]. Soon after, a settlement grew up near the mission called [[Branciforte]], which came to be known across [[Alta California]] for its lawlessness.{{Citation needed|date=September 2025}} With the [[Mexican secularization act of 1833|Mexican secularization of the Californian missions]] in 1833, the former mission was divided and granted as [[Ranchos of California|rancho grants]]. Following the American [[Conquest of California]] and the admission of California as a U. S. state in 1850, Santa Cruz was [[Incorporated town|incorporated as a town]] in 1866, and became a [[charter city]] in 1876. The completion of the [[South Pacific Coast Railroad]] in 1880 and the creation of the [[Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk]] in 1904 solidified the city's status as a [[seaside resort|seaside resort community]], while the establishment of the [[University of California, Santa Cruz]] in 1965 made Santa Cruz a [[college town]].

==History==

===Indigenous period===
Indigenous people have been living in the Santa Cruz region for at least 12,000 years.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Linville|first=Kyla|date=October 13, 2020|title=Native Americans have been living in the Santa Cruz County region for at least 12,000 years|url=https://www.ksbw.com/article/native-americans-have-been-living-in-the-santa-cruz-county-region-for-at-least-12000-years/34352084|access-date=May 4, 2021|website=KSBW|language=en}}</ref> Prior to the arrival of Spanish soldiers, missionaries and colonists in the late 18th century, the area was home to the [[Awaswas]] nation of [[Ohlone]] people, who lived in a territory stretching slightly north of Davenport to Rio Del Mar. The Awaswas tribe was made up of no more than 1,000 people and their language is now extinct. The only remnants of their spoken language are three local place names: [[Aptos, California|Aptos]], [[Soquel, California|Soquel]] and [[Zayante, California|Zayante]]; and the name of a native shellfish – [[abalone]]. At the time of colonization, the Indigenous people belonged to the Uypi tribe of the ''Awaswas''-speaking dialectical group. They called the area ''Aulinta''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Virtual Exhibit: First Peoples of California|url=https://www.santacruzmuseum.org/first-peoples-of-california-virtual-exhibit/|access-date=May 4, 2021|website=Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History|date=September 3, 2020|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Spanish period===
[[File:Mission_Santa_Cruz_(Léon_Trousset,_1876).jpg|thumb|left|Santa Cruz was founded by the Spanish in 1791 when [[Fermín de Lasuén]] established [[Mission Santa Cruz]].]]
The first European land exploration of [[Alta California]], the Spanish [[Portolá expedition]] led by [[Gaspar de Portolá]], passed through the area on its way north, still searching for the "port of Monterey" described by [[Sebastian Vizcaino]] in 1602. The party forded the river (probably near where the Soquel Avenue bridge now stands) and camped nearby [[Timeline of the Portolá expedition|on October 17, 1769]]. [[Franciscan]] missionary [[Juan Crespí]], traveling with the expedition, noted in his diary that, "This river was named San Lorenzo." (for [[Saint Lawrence]]).

Next morning, the expedition set out again, and Crespi noted that, "Five hundred steps after we started we crossed a good arroyo of running water which descends from some high hills where it rises. It was named "El Arroyo de la Santísima Cruz, which translates literally as "The Stream of the Most Holy Cross".<ref>{{cite book|last=Bolton|first=Herbert E.|pages=214|year=1927|title=Fray Juan Crespi: Missionary Explorer on the Pacific Coast, 1769–1774|url=http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000288788|publisher=HathiTrust Digital Library}}</ref>

In 1791, Father [[Fermín Lasuén]] continued the use of Crespi's name when he declared the establishment of ''La Misión de la Exaltación de la Santa Cruz'' (also known as [[Mission Santa Cruz]]) for the conversion of the Awaswas of Chatu-Mu and [[List of Ohlone villages#Santa Cruz Mountains|surrounding Ohlone villages]]. Santa Cruz was the twelfth mission to be founded in [[California]]. The creek, however, later lost the name, and is known today as Laurel Creek because it parallels Laurel Street. It is the main feeder of [[Neary Lagoon]].<ref>[http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=11898 City of Santa Cruz Creeks map – Laurel Creek at Neary Lagoon] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140401212315/http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=11898 |date=April 1, 2014 }}</ref>

In 1797, Governor [[Diego de Borica]], by order of the [[Viceroy of New Spain]], [[Miguel de la Grúa Talamanca y Branciforte, marqués de Branciforte]], established the ''[[Villa de Branciforte]]'', a town named in honor of the Viceroy.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Heron|first1=David W.|author-link=David W. Heron|title=Branciforte: The Viceroy from Sicily|url=http://www.villadebranciforte.org/#viceroy|access-date=February 11, 2020|work=Santa Cruz County History Journal|issue=3|date=1997|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730113703/http://www.villadebranciforte.org/#viceroy|archive-date=July 30, 2019|location=Santa Cruz|url-status=dead}}</ref> One of only three civilian towns established in California during the Spanish colonial period (the other two became Los Angeles and San Jose), the Villa was located across the [[San Lorenzo River]], less than a mile from the Mission. Its original main street is now North Branciforte Avenue. Villa de Branciforte later lost its civic status, and in 1905 the area was annexed into the City of Santa Cruz.

===Mexican period===
[[File:Neary-Rodriguez Adobe 2.JPG|thumb|left|The Neary-Rodríguez Adobe, built {{circa|1810}}, is Santa Cruz's oldest building.]]
In the 1820s, newly independent Mexico assumed control of the area.<ref>{{cite book|title=California Under Spain and Mexico, 1535–1847: A Contribution Toward the History of the Pacific Coast of the United States, Based on Original Sources (chiefly Manuscript) in the Spanish and Mexican Archives and Other Repositories|url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924028920607|last=Richman|first=Irving Berdine|year=1911|publisher=Houghton Mifflin}}</ref> Following the [[Mexican secularization act of 1833]], governor [[José Figueroa|Figueroa]] attempted to rename the community that had grown up around the mission after himself, to ''Pueblo de Figueroa''. The pueblo designation was never made official, however. The new name did not catch on and Santa Cruz remained Santa Cruz.

The Santa Cruz mission, along with the rest of the twenty-one Alta California missions, was [[Secularization|secularized]] within a few years after 1833. Even before secularization, the Native American population had declined. Following secularization, mission grazing lands, which once extended from the San Lorenzo River north along the coast to approximately today's Santa Cruz County border, were taken away and broken up into large land grants called [[Ranchos of California|''ranchos'']]. The grants were made by several different governors between 1834 and 1845 (see [[List of Ranchos of California]]).
[[File:Bolcoff adobe at Wilder Ranch State Park, 2013.jpg|thumb|left|José Antonio Bolcoff, who served as [[alcalde]] (mayor) of Branciforte, built his adobe on [[Rancho Refugio]] in 1839.]]
Two ranchos were totally within the boundaries of today's city of Santa Cruz. [[Rancho Potrero Y Rincon de San Pedro Regalado]] consisted mostly of flat, river-bottom pasture land north of Mission Hill ("potrero" translates as "pasture"). [[Rancho Tres Ojos de Agua]] was on the west side. Three other rancho boundaries later became part of the modern city limits: [[Rancho Refugio]] on the west. [[Rancho Carbonera]] on the north, and [[Rancho Arroyo del Rodeo]] on the east.

After secularization put most California land into private hands, immigrants from the United States began to arrive in steadily increasing numbers, especially in the 1840s when overland routes like the [[California Trail]] were opened. In 1848, following the [[Mexican–American War]], Mexico ceded the territory of [[Alta California]] to the U.S. in the [[Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo]].

Demoted to a parish church, the former Santa Cruz mission was unable to maintain its building complex after secularization, and the adobe buildings slowly began to fall apart from wet weather and lack of maintenance. The chapel tower fell in 1840 and the entire front wall was destroyed in the [[1857 Fort Tejon earthquake]]. In 1858 a "modern" church was built next door to the remaining rear portion of the chapel. That remainder was demolished in 1889, when today's Holy Cross church was built on the site, in a gothic style.

=== American period===
[[File:View_of_the_wharves_in_Santa_Cruz_(1863).png|thumb|left|View of Santa Cruz's coastal wharves; [[Edward Vischer]], 1863]]
{{See also|Santa Cruz Downtown Historic District|Pacific Avenue Historic District (Santa Cruz, California)}}

California was the first portion of the former Mexican territory to become a state, in 1850. Santa Cruz County was established the same year, and Santa Cruz became the county seat. Santa Cruz was [[Incorporated town|incorporated as a town]] in 1866, and became a [[charter city]] in 1876.

Following the U.S. [[Conquest of California]], Santa Cruz steadily grew with the arrival of immigrants from the eastern United States. [[Elihu Anthony]] (1818–1905) arrived in Santa Cruz in 1847<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/62404272/|title=Elihu Anthony, Pioneer of 1847 Was God Fearing Man And Santa Cruz' First Progressive Business Leader|date=January 2, 1937|work=Santa Cruz Evening News|access-date=April 10, 2017|page=9}}</ref> and opened many firsts for the city, including the first Protestant Church and the first blacksmith foundry. He built the first wharf and was the first postmaster.<ref name=":0" /> He developed the first commercial blocks in downtown Santa Cruz with his early blacksmith foundry located at what is now the corner of Pacific Avenue and Mission Street.<ref name=":0" /> With [[Frederick A. Hihn]], Anthony built the first private [[water supply network]] in the city and serving nearby communities.<ref>{{cite news|title=An Act to Authorize Elihu Anthony and F. A. Hihn and Others, to Lay down and Maintain Water Pipes in the Streets of the Town of Santa Cruz|url=https://whorulesamerica.ucsc.edu/santacruz/files/elihu_anthony.pdf#page=1|access-date=March 2, 2020|work=[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]]|date=December 30, 1865}}</ref>

The establishment of&nbsp;railroad&nbsp;lines in Santa Cruz in 1875–76 with the [[South Pacific Coast Railroad|Santa Cruz & Felton Railroad]] and the [[Santa Cruz Railroad]] provided market access for the city's timber, leather and limestone industries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/articles/53/|title=Santa Cruz County History, Transportation: Railroads and Streetcars|last=Lehmann|first=Susan|website=Santa Cruz Public Libraries|publisher=City of Santa Cruz Planning and Development Department|language=en|access-date=April 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413070708/https://www.santacruzpl.org/history/articles/53/|archive-date=April 13, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Three Princes of Hawaii at San Mateo with caps (PP-97-17-008).jpg|thumb|200px|The Three [[Kingdom of Hawaii|Princes of Hawaii]] who introduced [[surfing]] to California in Santa Cruz, 1885: [[Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole]] (left), [[David Kawānanakoa]] (center), and [[Edward Abnel Keliʻiahonui]] (right)]]
[[California Powder Works]] began manufacturing blasting powder for California mining when normal supplies were interrupted by the [[American Civil War]]. The extensive complex built on the San Lorenzo River upstream of Santa Cruz used charcoal and powder kegs manufactured from local forests. The Works later manufactured [[smokeless powder]] used in United States Army [[Krag-Jørgensen]] rifles and guns of the [[United States Navy]] Pacific and Asiatic fleets.<ref>{{cite web|title=The California Powder Works|work=Santa Cruz Public Library Local History Articles|url=http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/articles/11/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626002035/http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/articles/11/|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 26, 2010|access-date=November 21, 2011}}</ref>

Santa Cruz was hard hit by the [[1989 Loma Prieta earthquake#Santa Cruz and Monterey counties|1989 Loma Prieta earthquake]] that killed three people.<ref>{{Cite news|agency=Associated Press|date=October 24, 1989|title=The California Quake; Earthquake Casualties|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/24/us/the-california-quake-earthquake-casualties.html|access-date=December 27, 2023|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> It was also hit by ocean surges caused by the [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]], wherein the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor sustained an estimated $10&nbsp;million of damage, with another $5&nbsp;million of damage to docked boats there.<ref>[http://www.ksbw.com/r/27160527/detail.html Tsunami Damages Santa Cruz, Crescent City Harbors] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110316002506/http://www.ksbw.com/r/27160527/detail.html |date=March 16, 2011 }}, KSBW, March 11, 2011</ref> Following the earthquake, a former building chief urged the city government to consider relocating to a safer location with lower risk of damage from seismic activity.<ref>{{cite news|last=Flinn|first=John|date=October 25, 1989|title=Move city center, Santa Cruz urged|page=A1|work=[[San Francisco Examiner]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-move-city-cen/129047106/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 28, 2023}}</ref> It was again hit by ocean surges caused by [[2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai eruption and tsunami]], that caused damages to the harbor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kion546.com/about/news-team-about/2022/01/15/tsunami-advisory-waves-rolling-into-santa-cruz-harbor/|title=Tsunami Advisory: Santa Cruz dock reopens|last=Rates|first=Scott|website=kion546.com|date=January 15, 2022}}</ref>
[[File:Santa Cruz Swimming Baths.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Casa del Rey Hotel#Plunge Natatorium|Plunge Natatorium]] at the [[Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk]] in 1910]]
Santa Cruz became one of the first cities to approve marijuana for medicinal uses. In 1992, residents overwhelmingly approved Measure A,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/medical/santcruz.htm|title=Santa Cruz County Measure A Marijuana For Medical Use Initiative|access-date=December 18, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Uc Santa Cruz College Prowler Off The Record|author=Hadley Robinson|author2=Jim Seaman|isbn=978-1-59658-147-0|publisher=College Prowler, Inc|page=17|year=2005}}</ref> which allowed for the medicinal uses of marijuana. Santa Cruz was home to the second above-ground medical marijuana club in the world when the Santa Cruz Cannabis Buyers Club opened its doors in April 1995. Santa Cruz also became one of the first cities in California to test the state's [[medical marijuana]] laws in court after the arrest of [[Valerie Corral]] and Mike Corral, founders of the [[Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana]], by the [[Drug Enforcement Administration|DEA]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Federal Suit Charges DEA's Raids of California Medi-Pot Patients Are Unconstitutional|publisher=[[National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws]]|url=http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5431&wtm_format=print|access-date=January 7, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061202185228/http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5431&wtm_format=print|archive-date=December 2, 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> In January 2020, Santa Cruz became the third city in the US and second city in California to decriminalize [[psilocybin mushrooms]] in addition to a slew of other [[entheogenic]] plants on the Federal Schedule 1 Substance List.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marijuanamoment.net/santa-cruz-city-council-approves-psychedelics-decriminalization-measure/|title=Santa Cruz City Council Approves Psychedelics Decriminalization Measure|date=January 29, 2020}}</ref>

In 1998, the Santa Cruz community declared itself a [[nuclear-free zone]],<ref>[http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/council/CouncilPolicies/11-04.pdf Council Policy 11.4: Declaring The City Of Santa Cruz A Nuclear Free Zone] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081118153650/http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/council/CouncilPolicies/11-04.pdf |date=November 18, 2008 }}</ref> and in 2003, the Santa Cruz City Council became the first city council in the U.S. to denounce the Iraq War.<ref>{{cite web|title=Support House Concurrent Resolution 35 – Withdrawal of U. S. Armed Force from Iraq|url=http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/cc/archives/05/4-12meeting/4-12rpt/cm162.htm|publisher=City of Santa Cruz|access-date=October 4, 2008}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> The City Council of Santa Cruz also issued a proclamation opposing the [[USA PATRIOT Act]].<ref>{{cite web|title=ACLU press release announcing that the City of Santa Cruz passed a resolution opposing the USA PATRIOT Act|url=https://www.aclu.org/safefree/resources/17105res20021118.html|publisher=[[American Civil Liberties Union]]|access-date=June 8, 2006}}</ref>

Notable feminist activists [[Nikki Craft]] and [[Ann Simonton]] resided in Santa Cruz, where they formed the "Praying Mantis Brigade". This collection of activists organized the "Myth California Pageant" in the 1980s protesting the objectification of women.<ref name="platformforprotest">{{cite news|last=Bacon|first=Amity|title=Miss California Pageant united the community and served as a platform for protest|work=[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]]|date=May 22, 2005|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2005/May/22/local/stories/03local.htm|access-date=May 18, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930201057/http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2005/May/22/local/stories/03local.htm|archive-date=September 30, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Clarke|first=De|title=MYTH CALIFORNIA: But Is It Art Or Is It Politics?|url=http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/Nikki/BeautyClarke4.html|publisher=No Status Quo|access-date=June 23, 2008}}</ref> Myth California was staged concurrently with the [[Miss California]] pageant held in Santa Cruz since the 1920s. The protests ran for nine years and eventually contributed to the Miss California pageant leaving Santa Cruz.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dunn|first=Geoffrey|title=Miss... or Myth|work=The New York Times|year=1987|url=http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=176328|access-date=June 23, 2008}}</ref> 
[[File:LomaPrieta-PacificGardenMall.jpeg|thumb|left|Damage downtown caused by the [[1989 Loma Prieta earthquake]]]]
Riots occurred on May 1, 2010, sparked when anarchist extremists threw paint at police cars and painted [[anarchy|anarchist]] symbols and anti-capitalist phrases onto buildings, resulting in more than a dozen buildings being vandalized and numerous storefronts being damaged.<ref name="COAHP">{{cite news|url=http://www.cityonahillpress.com/2010/05/06/vandals-strike-downtown-santa-cruz/|title=Vandals Strike Downtown Santa Cruz|first1=Jenny|last1=Cain|first2=Julia|last2=Reis|publisher=City on a Hill Press|access-date=May 6, 2010}}</ref> Property damages are estimated to top roughly $100,000. Prior to the riot, a [[May Day]] [[Demonstration (people)|rally]] was being held for worker and [[immigrant]] rights.<ref name="MN20100506">{{cite news|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14998618|title=Riot breaks out in downtown Santa Cruz; windows broken on dozens of businesses, porch of cafe set on fire|first=Alia|last=Wilson|date=May 3, 2010|work=San Jose Mercury News|access-date=May 6, 2010}}</ref> According to police, the rally was infiltrated by a local anarchist group, who used the rally as a cover for attacking corporate premises.

Occupy Santa Cruz formed as an autonomous organization in solidarity with the worldwide [[Occupy movement]], a broad-based protest against economic and social inequality. The organization gained most of its notoriety when members barricaded themselves in an empty bank building owned by [[Wells Fargo]]<ref>{{cite news|author1=Jessica M. Pasko|author2=Stephen Baxter|title=Occupy Santa Cruz takes over vacant building on River Street|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_19442674?IADID=Search-www.santacruzsentinel.com-www.santacruzsentinel.com|access-date=December 30, 2013|newspaper=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=November 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230233706/http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_19442674?IADID=Search-www.santacruzsentinel.com-www.santacruzsentinel.com|archive-date=December 30, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> and occupied the building for 72 hours, causing $30,000 in damages.<ref name=Pasko>{{cite news|last=Pasko|first=Jessica M.|title=Legal battle drags on: More than a year after the 75 River St. occupation, four defendants remain embroiled in ongoing case|url=http://www.gtweekly.com/index.php/santa-cruz-news/36-santa-cruz-business-news/4751-legal-battles-drag-on.html|access-date=December 30, 2013|newspaper=Good Times|date=April 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231003726/http://www.gtweekly.com/index.php/santa-cruz-news/36-santa-cruz-business-news/4751-legal-battles-drag-on.html|archive-date=December 31, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/business/20171215/santa-cruz-county-bank-snags-new-home-in-vacant-building-downtown|title=Santa Cruz County Bank snags new home in vacant building downtown|last=Sentinel|first=Jondi Gumz {{!}} Santa Cruz|date=December 15, 2017|website=Santa Cruz Sentinel|language=en-US|access-date=November 22, 2019}}</ref> Eleven criminal charges were filed, at least seven of which have since been dropped.<ref name=Pasko/>

==Geography==
[[File:Aerial view - Santa Cruz CA.jpg|thumb|right|Aerial view of Santa Cruz]]
Santa Cruz is on the northern edge of [[Monterey Bay]]. The area is losing several feet of beach a year.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/11/santa-cruz-sinking-climate-change-beaches-surfing|title=Sinking Santa Cruz: climate change threatens famed California beach town|last=Milman|first=Oliver|date=October 11, 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=February 4, 2020}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city covers an area of {{convert|15.8|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|12.7|sqmi|km2}} is land, and {{convert|3.1|sqmi|km2}}, or 19.51%, is water. To Santa Cruz locals the area is often discussed in terms of distinct regions: east side and west side.

===Neighborhoods===
The "westside" of Santa Cruz is commonly accepted to be anything west of the San Lorenzo River and the "eastside" east of the San Lorenzo River all the way to neighboring towns of [[Soquel, California|Soquel]] and [[Capitola, California|Capitola]]. The beginning of [[Aptos, California|Aptos]] is seen as the end boundary for the "eastside".

===Climate===
Santa Cruz has mild weather throughout the year, experiencing a [[warm-summer Mediterranean climate]] characterized by mild, wet winters and warm, mostly dry summers. Due to its proximity to [[Monterey Bay]], fog and low overcast are common during the night and morning, especially in the summer. Santa Cruz frequently experiences an [[Indian summer]], with the year's warmest temperatures often occurring in the autumn. Since the city faces south rather than west with mountains to its north, temperatures are usually several degrees warmer than in coastal areas to its northwest.

{{Weather box|location = Santa Cruz, California (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)
|width = auto
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 84
|Feb record high F = 89
|Mar record high F = 90
|Apr record high F = 97
|May record high F = 100
|Jun record high F = 106
|Jul record high F = 105
|Aug record high F = 108
|Sep record high F = 110
|Oct record high F = 103
|Nov record high F = 92
|Dec record high F = 87
|Jan avg record high F = 73.2
|Feb avg record high F = 75.2
|Mar avg record high F = 78.0
|Apr avg record high F = 82.9
|May avg record high F = 84.5
|Jun avg record high F = 87.2
|Jul avg record high F = 85.7
|Aug avg record high F = 88.3
|Sep avg record high F = 92.6
|Oct avg record high F = 89.8
|Nov avg record high F = 79.4
|Dec avg record high F = 70.8
|year avg record high F = 96.2
|Jan high F = 62.5
|Feb high F = 63.9
|Mar high F = 66.5
|Apr high F = 69.3
|May high F = 71.4
|Jun high F = 74.0
|Jul high F = 74.3
|Aug high F = 75.8
|Sep high F = 76.7
|Oct high F = 73.9
|Nov high F = 66.7
|Dec high F = 61.5
| year high F = 69.7
|Jan mean F = 51.9
|Feb mean F = 53.3
|Mar mean F = 55.3
|Apr mean F = 57.5
|May mean F = 60.2
|Jun mean F = 62.8
|Jul mean F = 64.3
|Aug mean F = 65.2
|Sep mean F = 64.8
|Oct mean F = 61.7
|Nov mean F = 55.6
|Dec mean F = 51.2
| year mean F = 58.7
|Jan low F = 41.4
|Feb low F = 42.7
|Mar low F = 44.1
|Apr low F = 45.7
|May low F = 49.0
|Jun low F = 51.6
|Jul low F = 54.3
|Aug low F = 54.6
|Sep low F = 52.9
|Oct low F = 49.5
|Nov low F = 44.4
|Dec low F = 40.9
| year low F = 47.6
|Jan avg record low F = 31.9
|Feb avg record low F = 33.6
|Mar avg record low F = 35.8
|Apr avg record low F = 38.1
|May avg record low F = 42.5
|Jun avg record low F = 45.3
|Jul avg record low F = 49.3
|Aug avg record low F = 49.2
|Sep avg record low F = 46.5
|Oct avg record low F = 42.0
|Nov avg record low F = 35.5
|Dec avg record low F = 31.3
|year avg record low F = 29.5
|Jan record low F = 20
|Feb record low F = 22
|Mar record low F = 28
|Apr record low F = 29
|May record low F = 28
|Jun record low F = 34
|Jul record low F = 36
|Aug record low F = 38
|Sep record low F = 30
|Oct record low F = 20
|Nov record low F = 26
|Dec record low F = 19
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation inch = 6.42
|Feb precipitation inch = 6.10
|Mar precipitation inch = 4.31
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.04
|May precipitation inch = 0.87
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.24
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.01
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.04
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.10
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.32
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.17
|Dec precipitation inch = 6.01
| year precipitation inch = 30.63
|Jan precipitation days = 10.6
|Feb precipitation days = 10.7
|Mar precipitation days = 9.5
|Apr precipitation days = 6.0
|May precipitation days = 3.5
|Jun precipitation days = 1.3
|Jul precipitation days = 0.6
|Aug precipitation days = 0.8
|Sep precipitation days = 1.1
|Oct precipitation days = 3.6
|Nov precipitation days = 6.9
|Dec precipitation days = 10.2
|year precipitation days = 64.8
|source 1 = NOAA<ref name= NOAA>{{cite web|url=https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=mtr|title=NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|access-date=March 3, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00047916&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL|title=Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|access-date=October 13, 2022}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1860= 950
|1870= 2561
|1880= 3898
|1890= 5596
|1900= 5659
|1910= 11146
|1920= 10917
|1930= 14395
|1940= 16896
|1950= 21970
|1960= 25596
|1970= 32076
|1980= 41483
|1990= 49040
|2000= 54593
|2010= 59946
|2020= 62956
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Santa Cruz city, California – Racial composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!{{partial|2020}}<ref>{{cite web |title=HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE (2020) |url=https://data.census.gov/table?t=Race+and+Ethnicity&g=160XX00US0669112&d=DEC+Demographic+and+Housing+Characteristics |website=data.census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref>
!2010<ref>{{cite web |title=HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE (2010) |url=https://data.census.gov/table?t=Race+and+Ethnicity&g=160XX00US0669112&y=2010 |website=data.census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref>
!2000<ref>{{cite book |title=California: 2000 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |pages=134–135 |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2002/dec/phc-1-6.pdf}}</ref>
!1990<ref>{{cite book |title=California: 1990, Part 1 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |pages=102 |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-1/cp-1-6-1.pdf}}</ref>
!1980<ref>{{cite book |title=General Social and Economic Characteristics: California |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |pages=76 |url=https://usa.ipums.org/usa/resources/voliii/pubdocs/1980/1980a_caCs1-01.pdf}}</ref>
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|style='background: #ffffe6; |57.8%<br><small>(36,373)</small>
|66.7%<br><small>(39,985)</small>
|72%<br><small>(39,304)</small>
|79%<br><small>(38,755)</small>
|86.2%<br><small>(35,759)</small>
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black]] alone (NH)
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.5%<br><small>(1,571)</small>
|1.6%<br><small>(979)</small>
|1.6%<br><small>(871)</small>
|2.1%<br><small>(1,021)</small>
|1.9%<br><small>(776)</small>
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]] alone (NH)
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.4%<br><small>(249)</small>
|0.4%<br><small>(238)</small>
|0.5%<br><small>(248)</small>
|0.7%<br><small>(349)</small>
|0.6%<br><small>(256)</small>
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8.3%<br><small>(5,222)</small>
|7.5%<br><small>(4,476)</small>
|4.8%<br><small>(2,607)</small>
|<td rowspan="2"> |4.3%<br><small>(2,133)</small>
|<td rowspan="2"> |2.3%<br><small>(973)</small>
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.1%<br><small>(74)</small>
|0.2%<br><small>(97)</small>
|0.1%<br><small>(60)</small>
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.7%<br><small>(438)</small>
|0.3%<br><small>(187)</small>
|0.5%<br><small>(247)</small>
|0.2%<br><small>(120)</small>
|0.3%<br><small>(113)</small>
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Multiracial]] (NH)
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6.2%<br><small>(3,918)</small>
|3.9%<br><small>(2,360)</small>
|3.2%<br><small>(1,765)</small>
|—
|—
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic/Latino]] (any race)
|style='background: #ffffe6; |24%<br><small>(15,111)</small>
|19.4%<br><small>(11,624)</small>
|17.4%<br><small>(9,491)</small>
|13.6%<br><small>(6,662)</small>
|8.7%<br><small>(3,606)</small>
|}

===2000===
[[File:MissionSantaCruzCalifornia.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mission Santa Cruz]] is a Catholic chapel of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey in California|Diocese of Monterey]].]]
Recorded from the census of 2000,<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 54,593 people total with 20,442 households and 10,404 families residing in the city. The population density includes {{convert|1682.2|/km2|/mi2|abbr=on}}. There were 21,504 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1715.8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 78.7% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 17.4% [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]], 1.7% [[African American (U.S. census)|African American]], 0.9% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 4.9% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 9.1% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4.5% from two or more races.

There were 20,442 households, out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.0% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.1% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 17.3% under the age of 18, 20.5% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males age 18 and over.

The median [[income]] for a household in the city was $50,605, and the median income for a family was $62,231 (these figures had risen to $59,172 and $80,496 respectively as of a 2007 estimate<ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Cruz city, California|work=American Community Survey|publisher=US Census Bureau|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-qr_name=ACS_2007_3YR_G00_DP3YR3&-ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_G00_&-tree_id=3307&-geo_id=16000US0669112|access-date=June 6, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200211183625/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-qr_name=ACS_2007_3YR_G00_DP3YR3&-ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_G00_&-tree_id=3307&-geo_id=16000US0669112|archive-date=February 11, 2020}}</ref>). Males had a median income of $44,751 versus $32,699 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,758. About 6.6% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

===2010===
[[File:Mission Santa Cruz (8321945663).jpg|thumb|left|Holy Cross Church, Mission Plaza]]
The [[2010 United States census]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0669112|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715033033/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0669112|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA – Santa Cruz city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref> reported that Santa Cruz had a population of 59,946. The population density was {{convert|3787.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Santa Cruz was 44,661 (74.5%) [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1,071 (1.8%) [[African American (U.S. census)|African American]], 440 (0.7%) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 4,591 (7.7%) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 108 (0.2%) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 5,673 (9.5%) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3,402 (5.7%) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 11,624 persons (19.4%).

The Census reported that 51,657 people (86.2% of the population) lived in households, 7,910 (13.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 379 (0.6%) were institutionalized.
[[File:Beach, Santa Cruz, California LCCN2013630683.tif|thumb|right|The Pacific Coast in Santa Cruz]]
There were 21,657 households, out of which 4,817 (22.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 7,310 (33.8%) were [[marriage|opposite-sex married couples]] living together, 1,833 (8.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 862 (4.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,802 (8.3%) [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 379 (1.8%) [[same-sex partnerships|same-sex married couples or partnerships]]. 6,773 households (31.3%) were made up of individuals, and 1,862 (8.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39. There were 10,005 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (46.2% of all households); the average family size was 2.92.

The age distribution of the population shows 8,196 people (13.7%) under the age of 18, 17,449 people (29.1%) aged 18 to 24, 15,033 people (25.1%) aged 25 to 44, 13,983 people (23.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,285 people (8.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.

===Housing and homelessness===
By one estimate, Santa Cruz had in 2023 the least affordable rental market in the United States, pushing past San Francisco which was previously the most unaffordable rental market.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 7, 2023|title=Santa Cruz plans high-rise living as a fix for sky-high housing costs – and meets opposition|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-12-07/santa-cruz-plans-downtown-high-rises-to-fix-sky-high-housing-costs|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref> There were 23,316 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1473.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}, of which 9,375 (43.3%) were owner-occupied, and 12,282 (56.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.4%. 22,861 people (38.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 28,796 people (48.0%) lived in rental housing units. The median price of a home being $640,000 as of April 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Cruz County median home price $640,000 in April: Sellers in the driver's seat|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_23253111/santa-cruz-county-median-home-price-640-000|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130920065916/http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_23253111/santa-cruz-county-median-home-price-640-000|archive-date=September 20, 2013|access-date=June 5, 2017}}</ref>

Santa Cruz has one of the highest rates of [[homelessness]] in the US, with 9,041 estimated homeless in Santa Cruz county in 2011, approximately 3.5% of the total county population.<ref name="appliedsurveyresearch.org">{{Cite report|year=2011|title=2011 Santa Cruz County Homeless Census & Survey: Executive Summary|url=http://www.appliedsurveyresearch.org/storage/database/homelessness/santacruz/SantaCruz_ExecSummary_FINAL.pdf|publisher=Applied Survey Research|pages=1–6|access-date=December 29, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101223924/http://www.appliedsurveyresearch.org/storage/database/homelessness/santacruz/SantaCruz_ExecSummary_FINAL.pdf|archive-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref> with over 52% of homeless experiencing some form of mental illness, including [[clinical depression]] or [[PTSD]] and over 26% suffering unspecified [[mental illness]].<ref name="appliedsurveyresearch.org" /> Additionally, 38% of homeless surveyed in Santa Cruz county in 2011 experienced drug and/or [[alcohol dependency]].<ref name="appliedsurveyresearch.org" /> In recent years, citizen groups such as Take Back Santa Cruz, established in 2009, have lobbied city government and officials to address what they view as a public safety crisis, a situation that has gathered national attention.<ref>{{cite news|last=Onishi|first=Norimiysu|title=Violence Brings an Identity Crisis in a Free-Spirited California Beach Town|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/25/us/violence-spurs-identity-crisis-in-free-spirited-santa-cruz.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1388356650-47gvpYgCrVf6ShnblAqGdg|access-date=December 29, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 24, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Ho|first=Vivian|title=Santa Cruz seeks solutions to violence|url=http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Santa-Cruz-seeks-solutions-to-violence-4319134.php#photo-4264868|access-date=December 29, 2013|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|date=March 1, 2013}}</ref>

==Economy==
[[File:Neptune's Kingdom, Santa Cruz Beach.jpg|thumb|Shops and restaurants at the [[Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk]]]]

The principal industries of Santa Cruz are agriculture, tourism, education (UC Santa Cruz) and [[high technology]]. Santa Cruz is a center of the [[organic farming|organic]] agriculture movement, and many specialty products as well as housing the headquarters of [[California Certified Organic Farmers]].

Tourist attractions include the classic [[Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk]] on the beach, the redwood forests in the Santa Cruz Mountains above the town, and Monterey Bay, which is protected as a [[marine sanctuary]].

Technology companies have made Santa Cruz their home since the 1980s. Examples from that era include the [[Santa Cruz Operation]] (later [[Tarantella, Inc.]]), [[Plantronics]], and [[Parallel Computers, Inc.]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.santacruztechbeat.com/2015/04/23/tech-in-santa-cruz-sara-isenberg/|title=Don't let anyone tell you tech is new in Santa Cruz!|author-first=Sara|author-last=Isenberg|work=Santa Cruz Tech Beat|date=April 23, 2015}}</ref>

Downtown Santa Cruz houses a variety of storefronts and businesses. It is also stage to many street performers, musicians, and artists, oftentimes creating the presence of background music and miscellaneous street side entertainment when visiting downtown. Consequently, Pacific Avenue serves as an outlet for the artistic and unique culture{{citation needed|date=August 2020}} that Santa Cruz possesses.

===Top employers===
[[File:USA-Santa Cruz-Veterans Memorial Building-1.jpg|thumb|right|Santa Cruz Veterans Memorial Building, built in 1932]]

{{As of|2023}}, the top employers within the city were:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/home/showpublisheddocument/98327/638422249993600000|title=Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 2023|publisher=City of Santa Cruz|access-date=July 2, 2024|page=203}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
| 1
| [[University of California, Santa Cruz]]
|9,105
|-
|2
| [[Santa Cruz County, California|County of Santa Cruz]]
|2,804
|-
|3
| City of Santa Cruz
|914
|-
|4
| [[Costco|Costco Wholesale Corp]]
|314
|-
|5
| [[Safeway Inc.]]
|224
|-
|6
| New Leaf Community Market
|202
|-
|7
| DBA Santa Cruz Nutritionals
|200
|-
|8
| Crow's Nest
|194
|-
|9
| [[Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk]]
|186
|-
|10
| [[NHS, Inc.]]
|148
|}

==Arts and culture==
[[File:The St. George (Santa Cruz, California).jpg|thumb|right|[[Mission Revival architecture]] in Downtown Santa Cruz]]
[[File:California Santa Cruz street musicians playing.JPG|thumb|[[Street performance|Street musicians]] on Pacific Avenue]]
Santa Cruz has a number of cultural institutions and other attractions, including the [[University of California, Santa Cruz, Arboretum]]; [[Mission Santa Cruz]]; the [[Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History]]; the [[Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History]]; the Santa Cruz Art League (which includes an art gallery, theater, and classroom);<ref>{{cite web|title=SCAL website home page|url=http://www.scal.org/|publisher=Santa Cruz Art League|access-date=April 10, 2013}}</ref> the [[Santa Cruz Surfing Museum]] (housed in a lighthouse near [[Steamer Lane]]); and the Tannery Arts Center.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tanneryartscenter.org/|title=The Tannery Arts Center « The Arts Campus of Santa Cruz.|website=tanneryartscenter.org|access-date=June 5, 2017}}</ref>

Santa Cruz hosts numerous cultural events and festivals every year. The [[Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music]] is an annual festival of contemporary music for orchestra that has been called a "new music mecca" by ''[[The New York Times]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/23/us/23bcculture.html?_r=0|title=New Music at Festival, but Familiar Players|work=The New York Times|date=July 22, 2010|access-date=April 17, 2013|last1=Veltman|first1=Chloe}}</ref> [[Santa Cruz Shakespeare]] is an annual summer festival that performs [[William Shakespeare]] plays every summer. Other notable events include the Santa Cruz Film Festival,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_15123323?IADID|title='Westsiders' highlight of successful Film Fest|author=Wallace Baine|newspaper=[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]]|date=May 20, 2010|access-date=June 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611220522/http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_15123323?IADID|archive-date=June 11, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> the Santa Cruz Blues Festival, the Santa Cruz Digital Arts & New Media Festival, and Santa Cruz Pride.<ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Cruz Pride Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Parade|url=http://diversitycenter.org/programs/santa-cruz-glbtiq-pride/parade/|publisher=Diversity Center|access-date=October 3, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828105819/http://diversitycenter.org/programs/santa-cruz-glbtiq-pride/parade/|archive-date=August 28, 2008}}</ref> The [[O'Neill (brand)|O'Neill]] Cold Water Classic is annual surfing event that draws crowds at the popular [[Steamer Lane]].<ref>{{cite web|title=O'neill Cold Water Classic Day Four Highlights|url=http://www.surfingmagazine.com/sch/01/cold-water-classic/index.html|date=November 9, 2009|work=[[Surfing Magazine]]|access-date=October 3, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The Open Studios Art Tour is an art fair has been run for more than three decades and draws artists and patrons from around the area.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Craft of The Cutback|author=Jessica Lussenhop|url=http://www.metrosantacruz.com/metro-santa-cruz/10.01.08/arts3-0840.html|work=[[Metro Santa Cruz]]|access-date=October 3, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714081544/http://www.metrosantacruz.com/metro-santa-cruz/10.01.08/arts3-0840.html|archive-date=July 14, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> First Friday Santa Cruz is a monthly event features dozens of art openings in the Santa Cruz area on the first Friday of the month.<ref>{{cite web|title=First Friday Santa Cruz|url=http://firstfridaysantacruz.com/}}</ref>

The [[Santa Cruz County Symphony]], founded in 1958, is a fully professional ensemble of 65 members which presents an annual concert series at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and the Mello Center in Watsonville.<ref>{{cite news|first=Stephanie|last=Pappas|title=Santa Cruz County Symphony Appeals for Funds To Keep Season Afloat|work=San Jose Mercury News|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_11534031|date=January 23, 2009}}</ref>

===Historic landmarks===
[[File:Beach Street, Santa Cruz.jpg|thumb|left|Beach Street is a popular tourist hotspot fronting Santa Cruz Beach.]]
By the 1860s, Pacific Avenue had become the main street of downtown Santa Cruz, and remains so today. Local architect Kermit Darrow and landscape architect Roy Rydell were engaged in 1969 to convert several blocks of Pacific Avenue into a semi-pedestrian street named the Pacific Garden Mall.<ref name=Baine2009>{{cite news|last=Baine|first=Wallace|title=Pacific Garden Mall is remembered 40 years after its founding and 20 years since its demise|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/rss/ci_13477075|access-date=December 30, 2013|newspaper=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=October 3, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231002017/http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/rss/ci_13477075|archive-date=December 31, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Loma Prieta earthquake]] of 1989 destroyed nearly all of the 19th-century buildings in the downtown area. The [[Pacific Avenue Historic District (Santa Cruz, California)|Pacific Avenue Historic District]] had been recognized by the [[National Register of Historic Places]]; it was delisted in 1991. After the earthquake, the Pacific Garden Mall theme was eliminated, and an updated downtown design plan by [[ROMA Design Group]] was implemented.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goodtimessantacruz.com/all-about-santa-cruz-activities-visitors-guide/santa-cruz-history/209-looking-back-looking-ahead-remembering-loma.html|title=Looking Back Looking Ahead – Remembering Loma|work=[[Good Times (newspaper)|Good Times]]|author=Elizabeth Limbach|date=October 14, 2009|access-date=September 16, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203030348/http://goodtimessantacruz.com/all-about-santa-cruz-activities-visitors-guide/santa-cruz-history/209-looking-back-looking-ahead-remembering-loma.html|archive-date=December 3, 2010}}</ref> As of 2016, only one empty lot remains on Pacific Avenue from the destruction of the 1989 earthquake.

Landmarks on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Santa Cruz County, California]] include the [[Branciforte Adobe]], the [[Cowell Lime Works Historic District]], the [[Golden Gate Villa]], the [[Hinds House]], [[Mission Santa Cruz]], the [[Neary-Rodriguez Adobe]], the [[Octagon Building (Santa Cruz, California)|Octagon Building]], and the [[Santa Cruz Looff Carousel and Roller Coaster]], among others.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

Landmarks on the [[California Historical Landmarks in Santa Cruz County, California|California Register of Historical Resources]] include [[Mission Santa Cruz]], [[Villa de Branciforte]], and the [[Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=21523|publisher=California Department of Parks and Recreation|title=California Register of historic Resources: Santa Cruz|access-date=October 4, 2008}}</ref>

==="Surf City" nickname controversy===
[[File:Surfing Monument In Santa Cruz California - panoramio.jpg|thumb|right|The Monument to the Surfer]]
{{main|Surf City, USA}}
After [[Huntington Beach, California]], trademarked the "Surf City USA" name, Santa Cruz politicians tried to stop the [[Trademark|mark]] from being registered by the [[U.S. Patent and Trademark Office]] because of a 10-year-old controversy over Santa Cruz's nickname "Surf City".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.surfermag.com/features/onlineexclusives/srfcitystndup/|work=[[Surfer (magazine)|Surfer]]|title=A Tale of Two Surf Cities|access-date=October 4, 2008}}</ref> Huntington Beach has obtained a total of seven registrations for the "Surf City USA" trademark.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scsextra.com/story.php?sid=38500|title=Surf City USA? Huntington Beach lands trademark|work=[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]]|access-date=May 14, 2006}}</ref> None of these registrations of the trademark are on the [[Lanham Act|principal register]], but on the [[Lanham Act|secondary register]], which means that Huntington Beach has no exclusive right to assert ownership over the "Surf City USA" trademark. Two Santa Cruz surf shops, Shoreline Surf Shop and Noland's on the Wharf, sued the city of Huntington Beach in order to protect the public use of the term "Surf City".<ref>{{cite news|author=Lisa Leff|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/13/AR2006101300116.html|title=Surf City Rivalry Gets Gnarly|agency=Associated Press|access-date=October 16, 2006|date=October 13, 2006}}</ref> The parties reached a confidential settlement in January 2008, in which neither side admitted liability and all claims and counterclaims were dismissed. The Santa Cruz surf shops continue to print T-shirts, and the Visitor's Bureau retains the right to use the trademark.<ref>{{cite web|first=Shanna|last=McCord|date=January 26, 2008|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_8085355|work=[[San Jose Mercury News]]|title=It's official: Santa Cruz is not Surf City USA}}</ref>

==Sports==
The [[Santa Cruz Warriors]], of the [[NBA G League]], and [[Santa Cruz Derby Girls]], an amateur [[roller derby]] league, play at the [[Kaiser Permanente Arena]].<ref name=Dunn2013>{{cite book|last=Dunn|first=Geoffrey|title=Sports of Santa Cruz County|year=2013|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|location=Charleston, South Carolina|isbn=9781467130073|page=91}}</ref>

==Parks and recreation==
[[File:Natural bridges state beach Santa Cruz California.jpg|thumb|left|[[Natural Bridges State Beach]]]]
Santa Cruz is home to several state parks and beaches, including [[Lighthouse Field State Beach]], [[Natural Bridges State Beach]], [[Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park]], [[Twin Lakes State Beach]], and Seabright State Beach.

Santa Cruz has three greenbelt open space properties along the city limits, including [[Arana Gulch]], Moore Creek, and Pogonip.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/index.aspx?page=932|title=City of Santa Cruz Open Space|access-date=June 5, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410203616/http://cityofsantacruz.com/index.aspx?page=932|archive-date=April 10, 2014}}</ref> There are also five community parks and eighteen neighborhood parks.

Pogonip Open Space is located adjacent to the [[University of California, Santa Cruz]]. It includes second-growth oak and redwood forest, meadows and several streams, and is crossed by several hiking trails. Pogonip was the name of the former country club there, which once had a golf course and polo field.

[[Natural Bridges State Marine Reserve]] is a marine protected area off the coast at the northern edge of Santa Cruz. Like underwater parks, marine protected areas help conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems. Most of the rest of the coastline of Santa Cruz lies adjacent to the [[Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary]].

The [[Santa Cruz Wharf]] is known for fishing, viewing marine mammals and other recreation. Local parks offer many opportunities for [[birding]] and [[butterfly watching]], as well as outdoor sports such as [[skateboarding]], [[cycling]], [[camping]], hiking, and [[rock climbing]]. The Santa Cruz Skatepark is open to the public 7 days a week and is free. In addition to its reputation in surfing and skateboarding, Santa Cruz is known for other sports such as disc ultimate and [[disc golf]]. The [[DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course]] designed by hall of fame and local disc sports promoter Tom Schot, hosts [[PDGA]] tournaments, including the annual Masters Cup. DeLaveaga was the disc golf and discathon venue for the WFDF-sanctioned [[World Disc Games]] overall event held in Santa Cruz in July 2005.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tom Schot|url=http://www.discgolfhalloffame.org/tom-schot/|work=PDGA Hall or Fame|access-date=October 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027153535/http://www.discgolfhalloffame.org/tom-schot/|archive-date=October 27, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Disc Golfer|url=http://www.omagdigital.com/display_article.php?id=757733-work=Tom|work=Tom Schot|access-date=October 19, 2014}}</ref>

===Surfing===
[[File:Boats in Santa Cruz Harbor (6868331295).jpg|thumb|left|Santa Cruz Harbor]]
Santa Cruz is well known for watersports such as sailing, diving, swimming, stand up paddle boarding, paddling, and is regarded as one of the best spots in the world for [[surfing]].<ref name="SurferMagazine09">{{cite news|first=Alia|last=Wilson|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_12528421|title=Surfer Magazine picks Santa Cruz as top spot to surf|date=June 5, 2009}}</ref> It is the home of [[O'Neill (brand)|O'Neill]] [[Wetsuit]]s and Santa Cruz Surfboards, as well as [[Santa Cruz Skateboards]] and [[Santa Cruz Bicycles]]. The [[Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk]] is California's oldest amusement park and a designated State Historic Landmark. It is family-operated, and celebrated its Centennial in 2007. It is home to the iconic Giant Dipper roller coaster, which is currently the fifth oldest coaster in the United States. Home to a [[National Historic Landmark]], a 1911 [[Charles I. D. Looff]] [[Carousel]] and 1924 [[Giant Dipper (Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk)|Giant Dipper]] roller coaster, the Boardwalk has been owned and operated by the Santa Cruz Seaside Company since 1915.<ref name="about">{{cite web|url=http://www.beachboardwalk.com/01_about.html|title=About Us|work=Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk web site|publisher=Santa Cruz Seaside Company|access-date=January 29, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120113229/http://beachboardwalk.com/01_about.html|archive-date=January 20, 2011}}</ref>

[[File:Park at the beach - panoramio.jpg|thumb|right|[[Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk]]]]

In one of the first published descriptions of surfing in California, three Hawaiian princes, [[David Kawānanakoa|Prince David Kawānanakoa]], [[Edward Abnel Keliʻiahonui|Prince Edward Abnel Keliʻiahonui]] and [[Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana'ole|Prince Jonah Kalaniana{{okina}}ole]], surfed on locally milled redwood boards at the mouth of the San Lorenzo River in July 1885.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hawaiian royals honor Santa Cruz surfing history|author=Genevieve Bookwalter|date=November 25, 2009|newspaper=Santa Cruz Sentinel|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_13863440|access-date=September 14, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016152931/http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_13863440|archive-date=October 16, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Riders of the Sea Spray|author=Geoffrey Dunn and Kim Stoner|date=March 31, 2010|newspaper=[[Good Times (newspaper)|Santa Cruz Good Times]]|url=http://www.goodtimessantacruz.com/santa-cruz-news/good-times-cover-stories/936-riders-of-the-sea-spray.html|access-date=September 14, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110913193324/http://www.goodtimessantacruz.com/santa-cruz-news/good-times-cover-stories/936-riders-of-the-sea-spray.html|archive-date=September 13, 2011}}</ref> Santa Cruz has 11 world-class surf breaks, including the point breaks over rock bottoms near [[Steamer Lane]] and [[Pleasure Point, California|Pleasure Point]], which create some of the best surfing waves in the world.<ref name="SurferMagazine09" /> The [[Santa Cruz Surfing Museum]] at Steamer Lane is staffed by docents from the Santa Cruz Surfing Club who have surfed Santa Cruz waves since the 1930s. Santa Cruz hosts several surf contests drawing international participants each year, including the O'Neill Cold Water Classic, the International Longboard Association contest, and many others.

==Government==
[[File:Santa-Cruz-City-Hall-1.jpg|thumb|left|Santa Cruz City Hall]]

In 2022, Santa Cruz switched from an at-large city council system to representation by district, with a separate elected mayor. [[Fred Keeley]] became the first elected mayor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lookout.co/santa-cruz-mayors-race-fred-keeley-joy-schendledecker/|title=Santa Cruz mayor: Fred Keeley to become first four-year mayor of Santa Cruz|author=Christopher Neely|date=November 8, 2022|publisher=Lookout Santa Cruz|access-date=June 25, 2024}}</ref>

In the [[California State Legislature]], Santa Cruz is in {{Representative|casd|17|fmt=sdistrict}}, and in {{Representative|caad|28|fmt=adistrict}}. In the [[United States House of Representatives]], Santa Cruz is in {{Representative|cacd|19|fmt=district}}.

==Education==
[[File:Porter College Courtyard.jpg|thumb|right|[[University of California, Santa Cruz]]]]
[[File:USA-Santa Cruz-High School-1.jpg|thumb|right|Historic [[Santa Cruz High School]]]]
Santa Cruz is home to several educational institutions. The city is served by the [[Santa Cruz City School District]]. Notable public schools include [[Santa Cruz High School]] and [[Harbor High School (California)|Harbor High School]].

Notable private or charter schools include [[Georgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory School]] (a grade 6–12 private school), [[Pacific Collegiate School]] (a grade 7–12 charter school), Cypress Charter High School, and [[Monterey Coast Preparatory School|Monterey Coast Preparatory]].

Santa Cruz is notably the home of the [[University of California, Santa Cruz]]. The city is also host to [[Five Branches University]] and a campus of [[Cabrillo College]] (which is located in nearby [[Aptos, California|Aptos]] and Watsonville and holds some classes within Santa Cruz city).

UC Santa Cruz's [[Long Marine Laboratory]] is a marine research facility on the western edge of the city.

==Media==
The ''[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]]'' is Santa Cruz's only daily newspaper. The area is also served by the weekly newspaper ''[[Good Times (newspaper)|Good Times]]'', bought in 2014 by the owners of its competitor ''[[Santa Cruz Weekly]]'', who then merged the two, continuing one paper under the ''Good Times'' name, and the legal paper ''Santa Cruz Record''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.santacruzrecord.com/|title=Santa Cruz Record – Best Publishing Service in Santa Cruz County|website=Santa Cruz Record|access-date=June 5, 2017}}</ref> University of California has its own publication, ''[[City on a Hill Press]]'', and an alternative humor publication, ''[[Fish Rap Live!]]''. There is also an online newspaper called ''[[Lookout Santa Cruz]]''.

Radio stations broadcast from Santa Cruz include [[KSCO]], [[KOMY]], [[KZSC]], [[KLVM (FM)|KLVM]], [[KSQL]], [[KSQD]], and [[KPIG-FM]].

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
[[File:Santa Cruz beach and boardwalk downtown shuttle trolley.jpg|thumb|left|The beach–downtown shuttle trolley]]

State Routes [[California State Route 1|1]] and [[California State Route 17|17]] are the main roads in and out of Santa Cruz, with the latter being the primary route north to [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] and the rest of the [[San Francisco Bay Area]]. Geographically constrained between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Monterey Bay, the narrow transportation corridor served by SR 1, California's Pacific Coast Highway, suffers excessive congestion. The ramp from SR 1 northbound to SR 17 southbound, onto Ocean Street, is commonly known as the "fish hook" due to its tightening curve. A project to widen the highway and this interchange was begun in 2006 and completed in the fall of 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=Highway 1 and 17 Interchange Project|url=http://www.hwy1-17.caltrans.ca.gov/|publisher=California Department of Transportation|access-date=September 6, 2009}}</ref>

The nearest airports served by major commercial airlines are [[San Jose International Airport]], [[Monterey Regional Airport]], [[San Francisco International Airport]], and [[Oakland International Airport]]. The nearest public airport of any kind is [[Watsonville Municipal Airport]], about eight miles to the southeast, which serves general aviation users.
[[File:Santa Cruz Portland Cement 0-4-0 on Chestnut St.jpg|thumb|right|[[Santa Cruz, Big Trees and Pacific Railway|Big Trees Railroad]] excursion train on Chestnut St., Santa Cruz]]
[[Horsecar]]s offered [[tram]] service from 1876, and the [[Santa Cruz, Garfield Park and Capitola Electric Railway]] began operations in 1881. The [[Union Traction Company (Santa Cruz)|Union Traction Company]] consolidated three electric tram service routes in 1904. One line ran from DeLaveaga Park along Water Street and Pacific Avenue to the beach, another from Ocean Cliffs to downtown along what would become SR 1, and a line through Seabright to Capitola was completed in 1906. Competition from automobiles ended streetcar service in 1926.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Brandt|first=Randolph|year=1977|title=Union Traction of Santa Cruz|journal=Western Railroader and Western Railfoan|volume=40|issue=444|page=3}}</ref> The [[Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District]] now provides bus service throughout [[Santa Cruz County, California|Santa Cruz County]].

Amtrak serves Santa Cruz via [[Amtrak Thruway]] from rail connections at Amtrak [[San Jose Diridon station|San Jose Diridon]] Train Station operated by the [[Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District]] by way of a partnership with the [[Amtrak]], ''[[Capitol Corridor]]'', and [[Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority]]. Other rail connections such as [[Altamont Corridor Express]] and [[Caltrain]] are also available at Amtrak's San Jose passenger station.
[[File:Highway 17 Express bus at Metro Center, November 2019.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Highway 17 Express]]]]
[[Greyhound Lines]] bus service is another, albeit less commonly used, option for visiting Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz has an extensive network of bike lanes and bike paths. Most major roads have bike lanes, and wide bike lanes were recently installed on Beach Street, near the [[Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk]]. Additionally, there are levee bike paths along the [[San Lorenzo River]]. A [[Rail Trail]] – a bicycle and pedestrian path beside an existing coastal train track—is under consideration.<ref>[http://www.sccrtc.org/pdf/FACTRailTrail0107.pdf Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, January, 2007, "Santa Cruz Coastal Trail Network Fact Sheet"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326220132/http://www.sccrtc.org/pdf/FACTRailTrail0107.pdf |date=March 26, 2009 }}</ref>

The [[Santa Cruz, Big Trees and Pacific Railway]] operates diesel-electric tourist trains between the [[Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk]] and Roaring Camp in [[Felton, California|Felton]], through [[Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park]], with its famous [[Redwood Grove]] walking trail.

The [[Santa Cruz Railroad]] was a narrow gauge railroad that operated between Santa Cruz and [[Pajaro, California|Pajaro]].<ref name=Rob>{{cite book|last1=Robertson|first1=Donald B.|title=Encyclopedia of Western Railroad History: California|date=1998|publisher=Caxton Printing|location=Caldwell, Idaho|isbn=978-0870043857|page=181}}</ref>

===Water===
The main water source is [[Loch Lomond (California)|Loch Lomond Reservoir]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Aguilar|first=David|date=June 15, 2022|title=California exempts Santa Cruz from emergency water use restrictions|url=https://www.ksbw.com/article/santa-cruz-exempt-from-emergency-water-use-restrictions/40298340|access-date=June 15, 2022|work=KSBW|language=en}}</ref>

===Public safety===

A 2013 article in the ''[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]]'' noted that according to FBI statistics, Santa Cruz had the highest [[property crime]] rates per capita for medium and large-sized cities in the state of California,<ref>{{cite news|last=Hoppin|first=Jason|title=AT RISK: Santa Cruz crime among state's highest|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_22971549/at-risk-santa-cruz-crime-among-states-highest|access-date=December 29, 2013|newspaper=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=March 6, 2013}}</ref> in addition to some of the highest violent crime rates in the state of California for medium and large-sized cities. The article noted tourism, police staffing concerns, prolific [[liquor license]]s, widespread availability of drugs, and large numbers of [[Homelessness|transients]] as potential causes. The 2019 edition of the FBI's [[Uniform Crime Reports]] data published by the Santa Cruz Police Department showed that crime rates had decreased for all crimes except [[arson]] when measured against a five-year rolling average.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2020/01/22/report-shows-santa-cruz-stats-for-2019/|title=Report shows Santa Cruz crime stats for 2019|date=January 22, 2020|access-date=August 30, 2020}}</ref>

In 1973, after the discovery of four bodies in [[Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park]], Peter Chang, the [[district attorney]] for Santa Cruz County referred to the city as "the murder capital of the world" in an interview.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Santa Cruz County History – Santa Cruz Public Libraries|url=http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/articles/116/|website=santacruzpl.org|access-date=February 8, 2016|first=Ann|last=Young|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140316095210/http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/articles/116/|archive-date=March 16, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|first=Michael|last=Taylor|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|title=Peter A. Chang Jr. &ndash; prosecuted killers|date=January 27, 2005|access-date=January 19, 2022|url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Peter-A-Chang-Jr-prosecuted-killers-2735298.php}}</ref> The bodies were later determined to be victims of the serial killer [[Herbert Mullin]].

==Sister cities==
[[Sister city|Sister cities]] of Santa Cruz are:<ref name="Sister Cities Committee">{{cite web|title=Sister Cities Committee|url=https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-departments/parks-recreation/advisory-bodies/sister-cities-committee|website=cityofsantacruz.com|publisher=City of Santa Cruz|access-date=December 13, 2022|archive-date=December 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213034426/https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-departments/parks-recreation/advisory-bodies/sister-cities-committee}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingū, Wakayama|Shingū]], Japan (1974)
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Sestri Levante]], Italy (1980)
*{{flagicon|UKR}} [[Alushta]], Crimea, Ukraine (1984)
*{{flagicon|NIC}} [[Jinotepe]], Nicaragua (1990)
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Biarritz]], France (2022)

Inactive sister city relationships:<ref name="Sister Cities Committee"/>
*{{flagicon|VEN}} [[Puerto la Cruz]], Venezuela (1966)

==See also==
{{Portal|Monterey Bay Area}}
*[[List of people from Santa Cruz, California]]
*[[List of birds of Santa Cruz County, California]]
*[[List of cities and towns in California]]
*[[List of ranchos of California]] (sortable by city or county)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Santa Cruz, California}}
{{wikivoyage|Santa Cruz (California)|Santa Cruz}}
{{EB1911 poster|Santa Cruz (California)|Santa Cruz, California}}
*{{Official website}}
*[http://santacruzchamber.org/ Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce]
*[https://www.santacruz.org/ Visit Santa Cruz County]

{{Santa Cruz, California}}
{{Monterey Bay Area|state=collapsed}}
{{Santa Cruz County, California}}
{{California Central Coast}}
{{California county seats}}
{{California}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Santa Cruz, California| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Santa Cruz County, California]]
[[Category:County seats in California]]
[[Category:Monterey Bay]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in California]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1791]]
[[Category:1791 establishments in The Californias]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1866]]
[[Category:1866 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Busking venues]]
[[Category:Spanish mission settlements in North America]]
[[Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California]]