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Data as of 2026-10-22 · Snapshot 2026-10-22 · Methodology version 1CA Sea Change Atlas · https://seachangeatlas.org/county-profiles/county/santa-cruz/2026-10-22/
California Sea Change Atlas · County profile
Santa Cruz County
Data as of 22 October 2026 · Methodology version 1
Flood hazard · Santa Cruz County, CA
Flood hazard
To create the beginnings of a vulnerability assessment, this snapshot combines local vulnerability data with maps that depict the 100-year floodplain.
People at Risk
Rising populations in flood prone areas exacerbate flooding risk. Impacts can be greater to the elderly or those with a low income, as these citizens may not have the resources to adequately prepare or recover.
4.1%
of Santa Cruz County’s land area is inside the FEMA 100-year floodplain.
Share of population at risk
Population24,654 of 264,926Aged 65 and over3,868 of 50,275Below the poverty line4,318 of 29,478
Flooded Facilities Can't Provide Critical Services
First responders. Hospitals. Shelters. All play a central role in response and recovery. Incorporating vulnerability information into planning efforts save lives (fewer instances where critical services are made unavailable) and is cost effective (fewer damages to facilities).
6.3%
of the critical facilities in Santa Cruz County falls within the FEMA 100-year floodplain.
Critical facilities, by type.
Inside the floodplain
Outside the floodplain
Critical facilities, by type: data table
Category
Inside the floodplain
Outside the floodplain
Schools
1
88
Police stations
3
3
Fire stations
4
25
Medical facilities
0
3
SourcesUSGS National Structures Dataset(2026-03-04)FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer(2012–2017)
Homes at Risk
Flooding is costly for homeowners, no doubt. But the community also shares in the cost as lowered property values negatively affect tax revenues.
$20.23M
paid by the National Flood Insurance Program on 945 claims in Santa Cruz County since 1996.
NFIP payouts by five-year period.
NFIP payouts by five-year period: data table
Category
Value
1996–2000
$4,820,420
2001–2005
$615,400
2006–2010
$259,727
2011–2015
$902,745
2016–2020
$1,380,239
2021–2025
$12,247,562
SourcesOpenFEMA NFIP claims(2026-09-08)
Being Underwater Is Not a Good Business Plan
Flood-related losses of services, revenues, and salaries can hit a community hard.
17.5%
of all 95,587 jobs in Santa Cruz County are in the FEMA 100-year floodplain.
SourcesLEHD LODES8 workplace area characteristics(2023)Census 2020 tabulation blocks (TIGERweb)(2020)FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer(2012–2017)
A Better Future is a Greener Future
How do past development trends in your county compare to today’s approach? Development in flood-prone areas should be kept to a minimum. Creating more greenspace, which acts as a flooding buffer, lowers flood risk. Adding more impervious surfaces (even outside of the floodplain) can increase runoff and exacerbate flooding.
30.1%
(5.3 square miles) of the designated 100-year floodplain are natural features.
Development added, 1996–2021, as a share of land developed by 2021
Inside the floodplain0.1 of 4.8Outside the floodplain3.7 of 54.6
Development added
Already developed in 1996
SourcesNOAA C-CAP regional land cover(1996–2021)FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer(2012–2017)
Visualize sea level rise exposure with this snapshot. Consider incorporating this data into all community planning strategies. In many communities, rising sea levels are already increasing the impacts of high tide flooding and storm surge events.
Projections for the Monterey tide gauge, assigned to Santa Cruz County. Exposure at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 ft above MHHW.
People at Risk
Rising population numbers exacerbate potential flooding risk; impacts can be even greater when social vulnerability factors (age, income, capabilities) are involved, as these citizens may not be able to adequately prepare and respond.
0.2%
(472 people) of Santa Cruz County’s total population lives in areas exposed to just 2 ft of sea level rise. As is already the case in many parts of the country, these areas are the first to experience impacts.
Residents exposed at each increment of sea level rise.
2 ft
4 ft
6 ft
8 ft
10 ft
Affected in low-lying areas
Residents exposed at each increment of sea level rise: data table
Each cell: exposure in ocean-connected areas; the figure in parentheses beneath includes isolated low-lying areas.
Flooded Facilities Can't Provide Critical Services
Fire and police stations. Hospitals. Shelters. These facilities play a central role in response and recovery. Understanding future exposure can help reduce damages and the conditions that make these services unavailable.
0%
(0 of 127 facilities) of Santa Cruz County’s critical facilities are in areas exposed to just 2 ft of sea level rise. These areas are the first to experience impacts.
Facilities exposed at each increment of sea level rise.
Facilities exposed at each increment of sea level rise: data table
Each cell: facilities exposed in ocean-connected areas; the figure in parentheses beneath includes isolated low-lying areas.
Category
Total
2 ft exposed
4 ft exposed
6 ft exposed
8 ft exposed
10 ft exposed
Schools
89
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
Police stations
6
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
1(1)
Fire stations
29
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
1(1)
2(2)
Medical facilities
3
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
SourcesUSGS National Structures Dataset(2026-03-04)NOAA Sea Level Rise Viewer inundation extents(2026)
Being Underwater Is Not a Good Business Plan
Flood-related losses of services, revenues, and salaries can hit a community hard.
0.9%
(833 jobs) of Santa Cruz County’s jobs are in areas exposed to just 2 ft of sea level rise.
Jobs in areas exposed at each increment of sea level rise.
Ocean-connected
Additional, in low-lying areas
Jobs in areas exposed at each increment of sea level rise: data table
Make it a goal: more natural areas (wetlands, forests, parks, dunes, etc.) to absorb floodwaters and protect the community, and less development in flood-prone areas. Consider not only today’s floodplain, but also the floodplain extent projected for the future.
33.3%
(0.2 of 0.6 square miles) of the land inundated in Santa Cruz County at 2 ft of sea level rise would be natural: wetland or upland.
Land cover inundated at each increment of sea level rise.
Wetlands
Upland
Other
Land cover inundated at each increment of sea level rise: data table
Because a number of factors are involved, sea level rise projections are often expressed as scenarios. For projects involving structures with a long lifespan or where a loss would be catastrophic (power plants, ports, hospitals), the higher sea level rise scenarios should be considered. For projects with a shorter lifespan (bike paths, golf courses, parks), lower sea level rise scenarios may be appropriate.
Projections at the Monterey gauge, by scenario
Feet above 2000, in 2050 and 2100
Intermediate
Intermediate-High
High
¤ Under 1 ft, the lowest level the map shows.
Year each increment is reached
Sea level rise
Intermediate
Intermediate-High
High
2 ft
2085
2069
2061
4 ft
2117
2093
2081
6 ft
after 2150
2117
2097
8 ft
after 2150
after 2150
2113
10 ft
after 2150
after 2150
2133
SourcesCalifornia Ocean Protection Council, State of California Sea Level Rise Guidance: 2024 Science & Policy Update, Appendix 2(2024)
Understanding the businesses at risk from a changing climate is important. This data covers all economic activity occurring in coastal shoreline counties: jobs in banks, grocery stores, local government, and everything in between.
If You Can't Measure It, You Can't Protect It
0.6%
of all employment in California is in Santa Cruz County.
Establishments
10,268
Jobs
104,438
Wages
$7.32B
GDP* (excludes Public administration)
$13.75B
* Excludes Public administration.
SourcesBLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages)(2025)BEA GDP by state and industry (SAGDP2), California(2025)
Diverse Economies are Resilient Economies
An economy comprised of multiple sectors can better handle disruptions, including storms and economic downturns. Understanding how each sector is represented in your coastal county is important, particularly for hazard mitigation planning.
29.8%
of Santa Cruz County’s workforce works in Education and health services, its largest sector by employment.
Share of the county total, by sector.
Share of the county total, by sector: data table
Category
Construction
Financial activities
Education and health services
Information
Leisure and hospitality
Manufacturing
Natural resources and mining
Other services
Professional and business services
Public administration
Trade, transportation, and utilities
Establishments
959
674
3,629
106
867
325
244
788
1,406
57
1,168
Wages
$421.8M
$269.2M
$2.41B
$75.27M
$490.23M
$818.18M
$359.79M
$205.83M
$916.27M
$446.44M
$910.54M
Employment
5,352
2,966
31,162
803
14,824
7,214
7,858
4,108
9,549
4,457
16,134
GDP* (excludes Public administration)
$764.55M
$1.84B
$2.39B
$220.23M
$973.85M
$1.99B
$1.04B
$489.14M
$1.46B
withheld
$2.58B
Construction
Financial activities
Education and health services
Information
Leisure and hospitality
Manufacturing
Natural resources and mining
Other services
Professional and business services
Public administration
Trade, transportation, and utilities
Shares exclude withheld sectors.
* Excludes Public administration.
SourcesBLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages)(2025)BEA GDP by state and industry (SAGDP2), California(2025)
Coastal Jobs Are Vulnerable
Many jobs in coastal counties are vulnerable to flooding. This graphic shows the number of jobs threatened by two flood scenarios: current flooding (the 100-year floodplain) and future flooding (six feet of sea level rise).
Potential jobs affected by current flooding
16,756
Potential jobs affected by future flooding
2,591
SourcesLEHD LODES8 workplace area characteristics(2023)Census 2020 tabulation blocks (TIGERweb)(2020)FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer(2012–2017)NOAA Sea Level Rise Viewer inundation extents(2026)
Wages
Understanding the economic vulnerability of the workforce helps leaders better understand the long- and short-term impact of coastal storms, economic downturns, etc. In general, the sectors with the lowest average wages are more likely to be affected.
Leisure and hospitality has the lowest average wage per job in Santa Cruz County.
Average wage per job, by sector.
County
Coastal California
Coastal U.S.
Average wage per job, by sector: data table
Category
County
Coastal California
Coastal U.S.
Construction
$74,571
$90,408
$81,228
Financial activities
$87,925
$153,898
$150,835
Education and health services
$73,313
$71,683
$67,902
Information
$80,157
$253,512
$193,507
Leisure and hospitality
$30,881
$42,925
$37,140
Manufacturing
$95,302
$136,488
$98,915
Natural resources and mining
$43,512
$48,079
$76,365
Other services
$47,771
$53,772
$54,194
Professional and business services
$86,674
$129,224
$111,600
Public administration
$88,419
$108,423
$92,868
Trade, transportation, and utilities
$54,836
$72,890
$63,631
Coastal U.S. means the shoreline counties of 29 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, not the whole country.
SourcesBLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages), wages comparison year(2023)NOAA Total Economy (Coastal), shoreline counties of California and of the U.S.(2023)
Total Jobs
Many economic reports don't include the self-employed in their job numbers, yet this group can play an important role in the local economy. Most commercial fishermen, for instance, are self-employed.
6,578
professional and business services workers in Santa Cruz County are self-employed, more than any other sector.
Employed workers, 2025
104,438
Self-employed workers, 2024
23,111
SourcesBLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages)(2025)Census Nonemployer Statistics(2024)
Some figures are estimated with NOAA's Open ENOW method, and some are withheld. How estimates are made: https://seachangeatlas.org/county-profiles/about/economy/#estimated. Why figures are withheld: https://seachangeatlas.org/county-profiles/about/economy/#withheld-reasons
Businesses that are dependent on marine resources are particularly vulnerable to coastal hazards. (Note: “Total coastal economy” refers to all economic activity in the shoreline counties and is covered in the total economy section of this page.)
If You Can't Measure It, You Can't Protect It
More than 9.5%
of total employment in Santa Cruz County is in the marine economy.
Establishments
638
Jobs* (some sectors withheld)
9,967
Wages* (some sectors withheld)
$340.69M
GDP* (some sectors withheld)
$677.05M
* Some sectors withheld, see the sector chart.
SourcesBLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages)(2025)BEA GDP by state and industry (SAGDP2), California(2025)Census ZIP Code Business Patterns and shoreline-adjacent ZIP codes(2023)
Business Diversity
Understanding the types and amounts of businesses in the marine economy will inform community planning and management initiatives. This graphic highlights the six sectors that make up the marine economy.
Share of the county total, by sector.
Share of the county total, by sector: data table
Category
Living resources§ (some figures withheld)
Marine construction
Marine transportation
Offshore mineral resources§ (some figures withheld)
Ship and boat building§ (some figures withheld)
Tourism and recreation
Establishments
14
3
19
1
1
600
Wages
withheld
≈ $835.46k
$10.34M
withheld
withheld
$329.51M
Employment
withheld
≈ 14
164
withheld
withheld
9,789
GDP
withheld
≈ $1.51M
$16.35M
withheld
withheld
$659.18M
Living resources §
Marine construction
Marine transportation
Offshore mineral resources §
Ship and boat building §
Tourism and recreation
Shares exclude withheld sectors.
§ Living resources, Offshore mineral resources and Ship and boat building withheld; not enough reliable data.≈The approximately-equals sign and hatched segments are estimates.
SourcesBLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages)(2025)BEA GDP by state and industry (SAGDP2), California(2025)Census ZIP Code Business Patterns and shoreline-adjacent ZIP codes(2023)
Wages
Understanding wage vulnerability helps leaders better understand the long and short-term impact of coastal storms, economic downturns, etc. Lower wage sectors are usually affected the most.
Tourism and recreation has the lowest average wage per job in coastal California.
Average wage per job, by sector.
County
Coastal California
All Coastal States
Average wage per job, by sector: data table
Category
County
Coastal California
All Coastal States
Living resources (some figures withheld)
withheld
$64,138
$59,563
Marine construction
≈ $54,930
$135,639
$102,260
Marine transportation
$60,272
$93,343
$72,991
Offshore mineral resources (some figures withheld)
withheld
$134,731
$193,706
Ship and boat building (some figures withheld)
withheld
$89,401
$82,170
Tourism and recreation
$33,207
$37,578
$35,063
All Coastal States means the coastal portions of 30 states, not the whole country.
§ Living resources, Offshore mineral resources and Ship and boat building withheld; not enough reliable data.≈The approximately-equals sign and dashed rings are estimates.
SourcesBLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages), wages comparison year(2024)NOAA Open ENOW (California and All Coastal States)(2024)Census ZIP Code Business Patterns and shoreline-adjacent ZIP codes(2023)
Total Jobs
Many economic reports don't include the self-employed in their job numbers, yet this group can play an important role in the local economy. Most commercial fishermen, for instance, are self-employed.
106
tourism and recreation workers in Santa Cruz County are self-employed, more than any other sector.
Employed workers, 2025* (some sectors withheld)
9,967
Self-employed workers, 2021
280
* Some sectors withheld, see the sector chart.
SourcesBLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages)(2025)Census ZIP Code Business Patterns and shoreline-adjacent ZIP codes(2023)NOAA ENOW self-employed workers(2021)
Some figures are estimated with NOAA's Open ENOW method, and some are withheld. How estimates are made: https://seachangeatlas.org/county-profiles/about/economy/#estimated. Why figures are withheld: https://seachangeatlas.org/county-profiles/about/economy/#withheld-reasons
