Population 16,280 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Scotts Valley: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Scotts Valley
Household size in Scotts Valley
| Period | Scotts Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.70 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.45 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.17 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in Scotts Valley has 2.45 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 2.62 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Scotts Valley has smaller households than the great majority of 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 Scotts Valley
| Period | Scotts Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.5 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.2 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.1 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 47.2, Scotts Valley 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 41.1, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the north, the oldest in the west.
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 Scotts Valley
| Period | Scotts Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.6% of households in Scotts Valley, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 3.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Scotts Valley 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 Scotts Valley
Renters in Scotts Valley
| Period | Scotts Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.1% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.9% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.8% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Scotts Valley is largely a place of homeowners: only 24.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 30.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged up 1.0 points since 2006–10, 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 Scotts Valley
| Period | Scotts Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.6% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Scotts Valley than nationally: 6.4%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of California. Vacancy has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Scotts Valley
| Period | Scotts Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Scotts Valley was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in California overall, where the median home dates to 1976. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Scotts Valley
| Period | Scotts Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,535 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,628 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,199 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,621 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,086 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Scotts Valley pays $2,621 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,086 a month since 2006–10, up 71%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 37.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the north.
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 Scotts Valley
Bachelor's degrees in Scotts Valley
| Period | Scotts Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 48.0% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 55.8% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 57.7% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Scotts Valley is highly educated: nearly six in ten adults 25 and older (57.7%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.3 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the north.
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 Scotts Valley
| Period | Scotts Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.4% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.0% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.9% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Scotts Valley: 96.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Scotts Valley 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 Scotts Valley
| Period | Scotts Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Scotts Valley than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 50 have lower unemployment. Unemployment has fallen 3.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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).
Scotts Valley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotts Valley | 2.45 | 47.2 | 6.6% | 24.8% | 6.4% | 1982 | $2,621 | 57.7% | 96.0% | 3.6% |
| Mount Hermon | 2.01 | 45.2 | 4.9% | 34.9% | 18.0% | 1956 | $1,953 | 63.2% | 98.3% | 2.2% |
| Felton | 2.41 | 44.9 | 6.0% | 22.4% | 8.1% | 1962 | $2,341 | 58.5% | 98.2% | 4.2% |
| Ben Lomond | 2.45 | 47.2 | 8.4% | 28.6% | 4.8% | 1963 | $2,385 | 46.0% | 98.1% | 10.8% |
| Soquel | 2.63 | 44.9 | 7.8% | 26.1% | 7.0% | 1976 | $2,127 | 52.2% | 96.8% | 6.0% |
| Santa Cruz | 2.45 | 38.6 | 8.1% | 47.0% | 9.3% | 1971 | $2,418 | 53.3% | 93.8% | 6.1% |
| Lompico | 2.28 | 45.2 | 6.7% | 19.1% | 9.9% | 1964 | $2,670 | 51.6% | 99.9% | 9.1% |
| Capitola | 2.15 | 47.6 | 9.9% | 48.3% | 10.4% | 1974 | $2,416 | 47.0% | 90.6% | 2.2% |
| Brookdale | 2.26 | 38.5 | 3.0% | 40.1% | 18.2% | 1974 | $1,760 | 47.4% | 99.7% | 4.9% |
| Aptos | 2.52 | 47.2 | 8.7% | 30.9% | 10.0% | 1977 | $2,336 | 48.7% | 96.3% | 5.7% |
| Boulder Creek | 2.34 | 47.4 | 9.7% | 23.4% | 11.4% | 1964 | $2,108 | 41.6% | 95.4% | 9.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: King City, CA · Ocean Acres, NJ · North Reading, MA · North Providence, RI · Lafayette, GA · Laconia, NH · La Plata, MD · La Palma, CA · Kingston, TN · Kingsburg, CA
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 Scotts Valley. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.