2025 Compare Cities Economy:
Brookings, OR vs Santa Cruz, CA

Change Cities
Highlights
- Household income in Santa Cruz, is 33% more than it is in Brookings and is 28% above the National Average.
- Brookings unemployment rate is 8.5%.
- Santa Cruz unemployment rate is 4.5%.
 Brookings, ORSanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.5%6.0%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock1.8%1.6%
 Future Job Growth32.2%  Unlock33.5%
 Sales Taxes0.0%  Unlock6.2%
 Income Taxes  Unlock8.0%4.6%
 Income per Cap.$37,784  Unlock$37,638
 Household Income  Unlock$96,217$69,021
 Family Median Income$81,210  Unlock$85,028
 space
 Est. Households By Income
 Brookings, ORSanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Income Less Than 15K  Unlock10.7%9.4%
 Income between 15K and 20K4.3%  Unlock3.8%
 Income between 20K and 30K  Unlock7.9%8.1%
 Income between 30K and 40K5.3%  Unlock8.0%
 Income between 40K and 50K  Unlock4.6%7.6%
 Income between 50K and 60K11.2%  Unlock7.2%
 Income between 60K and 75K  Unlock6.1%9.6%
 Income between 75K and 100K16.6%  Unlock12.8%
 Income between 100K and 150K  Unlock16.1%16.3%
 Income between 150K and 200K7.4%  Unlock7.8%
 Income greater than 200K  Unlock20.7%9.5%
 space1
 Population By Occupation
 Brookings, ORSanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Management, business, finance5.0%  Unlock16.4%
 Engineering, computers, science  Unlock12.2%6.5%
 Community, social services0.7%  Unlock1.8%
 Legal  Unlock0.7%1.2%
 Education, library6.4%  Unlock6.2%
 Arts, design, media, sports, entertainment  Unlock4.3%2.0%
 Healthcare practitioners and technology4.2%  Unlock6.2%
 Healthcare support  Unlock1.9%3.3%
 Firefighters, law enforcement10.8%  Unlock2.1%
 Food preparation, serving  Unlock9.9%5.4%
 Building maintenance2.2%  Unlock3.6%
 Personal care  Unlock3.3%2.6%
 Sales, office, administrative support21.2%  Unlock20.9%
 Farming, fishing, forestry  Unlock0.9%0.6%
 Construction, extraction, maintenance/repair12.7%  Unlock8.1%
 Production, transportation, material moving  Unlock5.2%13.1%
Reviews for Brookings    29 Reviews

Over 3 years ago

Brookings Oregon is one of the most beautiful places in the world and has perfect weather. I searched for a retirement home, on the beach, for nearly ten years before  More

   |    Reply

Over 4 years ago

Brookings is an interesting place, very nice scenery, and excellent weather. The "locals" who inhabit this place are some of the most ignorant biased people you will  More

   |    Reply

Retired and moved here with my husband in 2020. Best decision we ever made. Amazing weather...even the rainy days are punctuated by crisp, sunny days in the winter. Not  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Brookings

Reviews for Santa Cruz    44 Reviews

I lived in the Santa Cruz area for 20 years. UCSC alum. Our kids were born there. There are wonderful things about Santa Cruz, but also many serious problems that we  More

   |    Reply

Over 5 years ago

I have been here for four generations! My kids are the fifth. I guess that should tell you how wonderful it is here, at least for us. It's so cool to have world class  More

   |    Reply

I was born over the hill in San Jose area, and as a kid I loved coming over to the boardwalk. Santa Cruz has always been and always will be a town of diversity,  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Santa Cruz


Premium Subscription
Includes Cost of Living compares for child care, utilities, transportation, health, taxes, housing for home owners vs renters, weather, insurance premiums and so much more.


The premier source for comprehensive city data for over 30 years.

© Best Places. All rights reserved.