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Living in
Scotts Valley.
About
Life in Scotts Valley
Scotts Valley is a community of 12,138 people in California. The median household income is $143,750, median rent runs about $2,491 per month, and median home values are around $1,106,000. The unemployment rate is 6.3%.
Scotts Valley at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
47.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Foreign-Born
12.8%
Broadband Internet
97.7%
of households
Population Growth
-4.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics12.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Scotts Valley: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Scotts Valley, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (25.8%), and 6.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.3%
of residents
65 and Older
23.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.6%
of households
Married Couples
57.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.33
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 22% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Scotts Valley
In Scotts Valley, rent runs 22% above the CA average, and home values are 50% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
109.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,933
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
73.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1986
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,233,968 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Scotts Valley
Unemployment in Santa Cruz County, which includes Scotts Valley, is 0.8 percentage points higher than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Scotts Valley: Santa Cruz County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Santa Cruz County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Scotts Valley is about 5% of Santa Cruz County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Scotts Valley Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.9 min avg
How Scotts Valley residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Scotts Valley, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 65% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 22 mi
Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Medium hub5.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 44 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 35% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Scotts Valley runs 35% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
213.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,594.1
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Scotts Valley Police Department
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 14 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Santa Cruz County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Santa Cruz County, which includes Scotts Valley, the most common type is strong wind, with 14 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 17 | Flood | $120 |
| 2023 | 16 | High Wind | $70 |
| 2022 | 12 | Strong Wind | $9.5M |
| 2021 | 29 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 21 | Strong Wind | $40,000 |
| 2019 | 50 | Strong Wind | $500 |
| 2018 | 20 | Strong Wind | $10,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
223 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Santa Cruz County, county-wide
Scotts Valley is about 5% of Santa Cruz County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality35 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Santa Cruz County, which includes Scotts Valley, is typically good — 320 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
35
Good Days
320
per year
Moderate Days
45
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Santa Cruz County, county-wide
Scotts Valley is about 5% of Santa Cruz County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate88°F summers, 38°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Scotts Valley has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and mild winters (avg low 38°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
75°/43°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/50°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
65°/38°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.1"
Hot Days/Year
54
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
37
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
72
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65°F | 37°F | 10.42" |
| Feb | 67°F | 39°F | 9.68" |
| Mar | 71°F | 41°F | 7.00" |
| Apr | 75°F | 42°F | 3.28" |
| May | 80°F | 46°F | 1.24" |
| Jun | 86°F | 49°F | 0.24" |
| Jul | 88°F | 51°F | 0.01" |
| Aug | 90°F | 51°F | 0.04" |
| Sep | 89°F | 49°F | 0.12" |
| Oct | 83°F | 44°F | 2.17" |
| Nov | 71°F | 40°F | 5.00" |
| Dec | 64°F | 37°F | 10.43" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Scotts Valley
Uninsured
2.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Scotts Valley's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Dominican Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.9 mi away · Santa Cruz
Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center of Santa Cruz
Acute Care Hospitals · 5 mi away · Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz County Psychiatric Health Facility
Psychiatric · 5.1 mi away · Santa Cruz
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education24.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Scotts Valley
Scotts Valley's student/teacher ratio is 24.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 55.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
55.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
24.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Scotts Valley (within 15 miles)
University of California-Santa Cruz
4.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 17,940 students · in-state tuition $16,585 · 79% graduate · median earnings $73,362 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 6,416 students · in-state tuition $0 · 25% graduate · median earnings $55,251 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, 53 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Scotts Valley
Scotts Valley has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (53 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
53 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
57 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
57 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
58 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
58 mi awayPinnacles National Park
National Park
60 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
62 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
64 mi awayPublic Libraries in Scotts Valley
Scotts Valley Branch Library
251 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley
Cities Near Scotts Valley
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Scotts Valley?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Scotts Valley FAQ
Is Scotts Valley, California affordable?⌄
Scotts Valley's median rent is $2,491/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $143,750/year. Median home value is $1,105,700.
Is Scotts Valley, California safe?⌄
Scotts Valley's violent crime rate was 213 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1594 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Scotts Valley, California?⌄
Santa Cruz County, which includes Scotts Valley, has an unemployment rate of 6.3%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Scotts Valley, California?⌄
The cost of living in Scotts Valley is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,491/month and median household income is $143,750/year. The median home value is $1,105,700. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Scotts Valley, California?⌄
The average commute in Scotts Valley is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from