2025 Compare Cities Economy:
Pismo Beach, CA vs Santa Cruz, CA

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Highlights
- Household income in Santa Cruz, is 2% more than it is in Pismo Beach and is 28% above the National Average.
- Pismo Beach unemployment rate is 5.8%.
- Santa Cruz unemployment rate is 4.5%.
 Pismo Beach, CASanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.5%6.0%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock1.8%1.6%
 Future Job Growth34.2%  Unlock33.5%
 Sales Taxes7.8%  Unlock6.2%
 Income Taxes  Unlock8.0%4.6%
 Income per Cap.$68,692  Unlock$37,638
 Household Income  Unlock$96,217$69,021
 Family Median Income$116,379  Unlock$85,028
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 Est. Households By Income
 Pismo Beach, CASanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Income Less Than 15K  Unlock10.7%9.4%
 Income between 15K and 20K1.0%  Unlock3.8%
 Income between 20K and 30K  Unlock7.9%8.1%
 Income between 30K and 40K4.6%  Unlock8.0%
 Income between 40K and 50K  Unlock4.6%7.6%
 Income between 50K and 60K7.9%  Unlock7.2%
 Income between 60K and 75K  Unlock6.1%9.6%
 Income between 75K and 100K10.0%  Unlock12.8%
 Income between 100K and 150K  Unlock16.1%16.3%
 Income between 150K and 200K8.6%  Unlock7.8%
 Income greater than 200K  Unlock20.7%9.5%
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 Population By Occupation
 Pismo Beach, CASanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Management, business, finance21.0%  Unlock16.4%
 Engineering, computers, science  Unlock12.2%6.5%
 Community, social services1.7%  Unlock1.8%
 Legal  Unlock0.7%1.2%
 Education, library9.8%  Unlock6.2%
 Arts, design, media, sports, entertainment  Unlock4.3%2.0%
 Healthcare practitioners and technology9.4%  Unlock6.2%
 Healthcare support  Unlock1.9%3.3%
 Firefighters, law enforcement1.3%  Unlock2.1%
 Food preparation, serving  Unlock9.9%5.4%
 Building maintenance0.3%  Unlock3.6%
 Personal care  Unlock3.3%2.6%
 Sales, office, administrative support16.6%  Unlock20.9%
 Farming, fishing, forestry  Unlock0.9%0.6%
 Construction, extraction, maintenance/repair5.8%  Unlock8.1%
 Production, transportation, material moving  Unlock5.2%13.1%
Reviews for Pismo Beach    4 Reviews

It's a nice town to visit - although very touristy. Clean air - and nice sand dunes nearby. A variety of housing - but expensive. Good for seafood. I would say  More

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It's still challenging to find a good job: Diablo Canyon Nuclear plant has announced it will be closing in 9 years, so many 6-figure incomes will be going along with the  More

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Over 9 years ago

Because of fires allowed in campsites each and everyday it is very smokey and hard to  More

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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

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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

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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

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