Population 77,549 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Watsonville
Household size in Watsonville
| Period | Watsonville | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.63 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.76 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.68 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.53 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Watsonville is a place of big households: 3.53 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has dropped from 3.63 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Watsonville
| Period | Watsonville | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.5 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.0 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.2 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.9 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.4 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Watsonville is young: half of its residents are under 35.9, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. The median age has climbed from 31.5 in 2006–10, 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 Watsonville
| Period | Watsonville | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.2% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.6% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in six households in Watsonville (15.6%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Watsonville
Renters in Watsonville
| Period | Watsonville | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.3% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.1% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.5% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Watsonville than nationally: 45.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among owners, 41.5% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the northwest.
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 Watsonville
| Period | Watsonville | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.6% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Watsonville than nationally: 6.2%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of California. Vacancy has edged down 0.8 points since 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 Watsonville
| Period | Watsonville | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Housing in Watsonville leans a little older: the median home dates to 1975, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1971 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the center 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 Watsonville
| Period | Watsonville | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,161 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,344 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,550 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,193 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,032 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Watsonville pays $2,193 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,032 a month since 2006–10, up 89%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 37.3% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the southeast.
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 Watsonville
Bachelor's degrees in Watsonville
| Period | Watsonville | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.4% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.9% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Watsonville: 16.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 2.2 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the south.
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 Watsonville
| Period | Watsonville | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 58.5% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 59.2% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 65.4% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 68.9% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over three in ten adults in Watsonville never finished high school, well above the national share: only 68.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 10.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Watsonville has a lower 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 Watsonville
| Period | Watsonville | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Watsonville: 7.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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).
Watsonville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Freedom | 3.38 | 33.9 | 12.4% | 56.8% | 9.6% | 1975 | $1,662 | 16.8% | 63.7% | 3.8% |
| 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% |
| Rio del Mar | 2.42 | 51.2 | 5.8% | 24.7% | 16.6% | 1972 | $3,399 | 64.9% | 97.8% | 5.6% |
| Moss Landing | 3.45 | 39.3 | 17.4% | 30.9% | 12.6% | 1975 | $2,079 | 31.9% | 82.9% | 3.3% |
| Aromas | 2.78 | 46.6 | 3.2% | 21.6% | 7.6% | 1978 | $2,807 | 38.7% | 87.3% | 3.3% |
| Elkhorn | 3.33 | 41.7 | 13.4% | 16.3% | 9.1% | 1977 | $1,766 | 28.4% | 94.4% | 5.0% |
| Aptos | 2.52 | 47.2 | 8.7% | 30.9% | 10.0% | 1977 | $2,336 | 48.7% | 96.3% | 5.7% |
| Lonoke | 2.83 | 47.8 | 6.0% | 22.8% | 5.7% | 1996 | $2,387 | 44.8% | 92.2% | 2.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Virginia Beach, VA · Victorville, CA · Waco, TX · Wade, NC · Wade, OH · Virgilina, VA · Ventress, LA · Vestaburg, MI · Tison, GA · Tell, TX
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 Watsonville. 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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