2025 Compare Cities Economy:
Santa Cruz, CA vs Orange, CA

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Highlights
- Household income in Orange, is 6% more than it is in Santa Cruz and is 32% above the National Average.
- Santa Cruz unemployment rate is 4.5%.
- Orange unemployment rate is 6.0%.
 Santa Cruz, CAOrange, CAUnited States
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock6.0%6.0%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock0.6%1.6%
 Future Job Growth33.8%  Unlock33.5%
 Sales Taxes9.3%  Unlock6.2%
 Income Taxes  Unlock8.0%4.6%
 Income per Cap.$46,720  Unlock$37,638
 Household Income  Unlock$102,125$69,021
 Family Median Income$145,326  Unlock$85,028
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 Est. Households By Income
 Santa Cruz, CAOrange, CAUnited States
 Income Less Than 15K  Unlock6.1%9.4%
 Income between 15K and 20K3.6%  Unlock3.8%
 Income between 20K and 30K  Unlock4.2%8.1%
 Income between 30K and 40K5.9%  Unlock8.0%
 Income between 40K and 50K  Unlock4.8%7.6%
 Income between 50K and 60K3.8%  Unlock7.2%
 Income between 60K and 75K  Unlock8.8%9.6%
 Income between 75K and 100K9.2%  Unlock12.8%
 Income between 100K and 150K  Unlock19.4%16.3%
 Income between 150K and 200K11.5%  Unlock7.8%
 Income greater than 200K  Unlock18.8%9.5%
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 Population By Occupation
 Santa Cruz, CAOrange, CAUnited States
 Management, business, finance17.4%  Unlock16.4%
 Engineering, computers, science  Unlock8.1%6.5%
 Community, social services2.9%  Unlock1.8%
 Legal  Unlock1.2%1.2%
 Education, library10.1%  Unlock6.2%
 Arts, design, media, sports, entertainment  Unlock3.2%2.0%
 Healthcare practitioners and technology6.3%  Unlock6.2%
 Healthcare support  Unlock2.1%3.3%
 Firefighters, law enforcement1.3%  Unlock2.1%
 Food preparation, serving  Unlock4.9%5.4%
 Building maintenance2.2%  Unlock3.6%
 Personal care  Unlock3.2%2.6%
 Sales, office, administrative support18.1%  Unlock20.9%
 Farming, fishing, forestry  Unlock0.5%0.6%
 Construction, extraction, maintenance/repair3.3%  Unlock8.1%
 Production, transportation, material moving  Unlock9.3%13.1%
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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Reviews for Orange    13 Reviews

Southern California is a wonderful place to live (if you can afford it). Currently, we are a family of 3- myself, my husband and our son. We are FINALLY thinking it may  More

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Over 15 years ago

Numerous highly rated hospitals are located within a 20 mile radius. Variety of hospitals include specialty, such as Childrens Hospital of Orange County; private;  More

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Over 15 years ago

The Weather is great. However, the housing, jobs, schools and the State Government is  More

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