Population 15,556 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Aptos
Household size in Aptos
| Period | Aptos | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.46 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.54 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.55 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.52 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Aptos run a little small, averaging 2.52 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.46, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Aptos
| Period | Aptos | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.0 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.2 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.6 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.2 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Aptos skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 44.0, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Aptos
| Period | Aptos | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Aptos than nationally: 8.7%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Aptos
Renters in Aptos
| Period | Aptos | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.1% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.9% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Aptos own their homes; 30.9% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 38.2% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.1 points, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Aptos
| Period | Aptos | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Aptos as nationally: 10.0%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in California as a whole (7.3%). Vacancy is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Aptos
| Period | Aptos | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Aptos was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980).
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Aptos
| Period | Aptos | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,253 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,532 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,034 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,336 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,083 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Aptos pays $2,336 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,083 a month from 2006–10, an 86% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 26.2% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Aptos
Bachelor's degrees in Aptos
| Period | Aptos | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.6% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 48.8% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 52.1% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 48.7% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Aptos: 48.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 6.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Aptos
| Period | Aptos | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.3% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.3% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Aptos: 96.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.6 points, in line with the national trend. Aptos has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of California cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Aptos
| Period | Aptos | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Aptos is close to the national rate: 5.7% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in California as a whole (6.6%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Aptos compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aptos | 2.52 | 47.2 | 8.7% | 30.9% | 10.0% | 1977 | $2,336 | 48.7% | 96.3% | 5.7% |
| Rio del Mar | 2.42 | 51.2 | 5.8% | 24.7% | 16.6% | 1972 | $3,399 | 64.9% | 97.8% | 5.6% |
| Soquel | 2.63 | 44.9 | 7.8% | 26.1% | 7.0% | 1976 | $2,127 | 52.2% | 96.8% | 6.0% |
| Capitola | 2.15 | 47.6 | 9.9% | 48.3% | 10.4% | 1974 | $2,416 | 47.0% | 90.6% | 2.2% |
| Corralitos | 1.92 | 62.1 | 0.8% | 16.5% | 0.6% | 1975 | $2,041 | 41.4% | 98.3% | 0.9% |
| La Selva Beach | 2.31 | 49.5 | 5.1% | 22.3% | 20.2% | 1970 | $3,297 | 63.0% | 95.3% | 2.2% |
| Freedom | 3.38 | 33.9 | 12.4% | 56.8% | 9.6% | 1975 | $1,662 | 16.8% | 63.7% | 3.8% |
| Santa Cruz | 2.45 | 38.6 | 8.1% | 47.0% | 9.3% | 1971 | $2,418 | 53.3% | 93.8% | 6.1% |
| Scotts Valley | 2.45 | 47.2 | 6.6% | 24.8% | 6.4% | 1982 | $2,621 | 57.7% | 96.0% | 3.6% |
| Watsonville | 3.53 | 35.9 | 15.6% | 45.4% | 6.2% | 1975 | $2,193 | 16.9% | 68.9% | 7.7% |
| Pajaro | 3.27 | 35.8 | 10.3% | 49.5% | 26.4% | 1972 | $1,358 | 20.4% | 64.2% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Key Biscayne, FL · Belchertown, MA · Duxbury, MA · Dunkirk, NY · Malibu, CA · Cody, WY · Morgan City, LA · Washington, IN · Gulf Shores, AL · Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Aptos. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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