Population 9,384 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rio del Mar
Household size in Rio del Mar
| Period | Rio del Mar | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.40 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.42 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in Rio del Mar has 2.42 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Rio del Mar has smaller households than at least four in five California cities.
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 Rio del Mar
| Period | Rio del Mar | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.8 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 49.9 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 50.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 51.2 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.4 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 51.2, Rio del Mar is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 46.8, in line with the national trend. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 38 are older.
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 Rio del Mar
| Period | Rio del Mar | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.8% of households in Rio del Mar, well below the national share of 11.6%. Rio del Mar has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of California cities.
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 Rio del Mar
Renters in Rio del Mar
| Period | Rio del Mar | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.5% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.0% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.2% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.7% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 24.7% of households in Rio del Mar rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 32.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the northeast. The renter share has fallen 1.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Rio del Mar
| Period | Rio del Mar | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.6% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.6% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 16.6% of the housing in Rio del Mar, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Rio del Mar
| Period | Rio del Mar | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Rio del Mar run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1972 against 1980. California as a whole looks much the same. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
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 Rio del Mar
| Period | Rio del Mar | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,854 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,816 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,576 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,399 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,545 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Rio del Mar costs $3,399 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,545 a month from 2006–10, an 83% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 35.1% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Only 14 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have higher rents.
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 Rio del Mar
Bachelor's degrees in Rio del Mar
| Period | Rio del Mar | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.1% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 48.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.5% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 64.9% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.8 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Rio del Mar: 64.9% 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 is up 14.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Rio del Mar
| Period | Rio del Mar | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.4% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.6% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.7% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.8% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Rio del Mar: 97.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only 50 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Rio del Mar
| Period | Rio del Mar | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.6%, unemployment in Rio del Mar is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in California overall (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).
Rio del Mar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio del Mar | 2.42 | 51.2 | 5.8% | 24.7% | 16.6% | 1972 | $3,399 | 64.9% | 97.8% | 5.6% |
| Aptos | 2.52 | 47.2 | 8.7% | 30.9% | 10.0% | 1977 | $2,336 | 48.7% | 96.3% | 5.7% |
| La Selva Beach | 2.31 | 49.5 | 5.1% | 22.3% | 20.2% | 1970 | $3,297 | 63.0% | 95.3% | 2.2% |
| Corralitos | 1.92 | 62.1 | 0.8% | 16.5% | 0.6% | 1975 | $2,041 | 41.4% | 98.3% | 0.9% |
| Capitola | 2.15 | 47.6 | 9.9% | 48.3% | 10.4% | 1974 | $2,416 | 47.0% | 90.6% | 2.2% |
| Soquel | 2.63 | 44.9 | 7.8% | 26.1% | 7.0% | 1976 | $2,127 | 52.2% | 96.8% | 6.0% |
| Freedom | 3.38 | 33.9 | 12.4% | 56.8% | 9.6% | 1975 | $1,662 | 16.8% | 63.7% | 3.8% |
| Watsonville | 3.53 | 35.9 | 15.6% | 45.4% | 6.2% | 1975 | $2,193 | 16.9% | 68.9% | 7.7% |
| Santa Cruz | 2.45 | 38.6 | 8.1% | 47.0% | 9.3% | 1971 | $2,418 | 53.3% | 93.8% | 6.1% |
| Pajaro | 3.27 | 35.8 | 10.3% | 49.5% | 26.4% | 1972 | $1,358 | 20.4% | 64.2% | 3.7% |
| Scotts Valley | 2.45 | 47.2 | 6.6% | 24.8% | 6.4% | 1982 | $2,621 | 57.7% | 96.0% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Pismo Beach, CA · Oak Ridge, NJ · Oakdale, NY · Oakvale, WV · Oakville, CT · Oakwood, GA · Old Orchard Beach, ME · Old Saybrook, CT · Olive Hill, KY · Olivette, MO
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 Rio del Mar. 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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