HousingPermits

Metro area in California · part of the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA combined area

Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

The Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area authorized 470 new housing units in 2025. Permits rose 82% between 2024 and 2025, the second-largest increase among the 85 metro areas of 250,000 to 499,999 residents. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 1.9 units a year in 2021–2025, 41% of the national rate of 4.7.

02505007501,0002004: 801 units (736 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 53 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 861 units (673 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 164 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 711 units (539 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 150 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 842 units (321 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 496 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 317 units (215 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 93 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 149 units (132 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 17 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 158 units (119 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 33 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 208 units (99 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 85 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 237 units (169 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 58 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 294 units (173 single-family, 17 in 2–4 unit, 104 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 291 units (172 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 104 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 335 units (202 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 120 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 489 units (223 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 250 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 407 units (218 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 163 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 426 units (238 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 154 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 429 units (236 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 165 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 244 units (173 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 598 units (304 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 283 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 608 units (403 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 200 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 540 units (242 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 278 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 259 units (189 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 61 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 470 units (163 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 303 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 8612009 low · 14903006009002004: 801 units (736 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 53 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 861 units (673 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 164 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 711 units (539 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 150 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 842 units (321 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 496 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 317 units (215 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 93 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 149 units (132 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 17 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 158 units (119 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 33 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 208 units (99 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 85 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 237 units (169 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 58 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 294 units (173 single-family, 17 in 2–4 unit, 104 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 291 units (172 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 104 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 335 units (202 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 120 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 489 units (223 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 250 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 407 units (218 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 163 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 426 units (238 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 154 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 429 units (236 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 165 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 244 units (173 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 598 units (304 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 283 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 608 units (403 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 200 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 540 units (242 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 278 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 259 units (189 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 61 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 470 units (163 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 303 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 861

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Boom, bust and since

Santa Cruz authorized the most units in 2005 (861); 2025 reached 55% of that. Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Prescott Valley, Bend, Daphne. Annual permits fell from 861 during the mid-2000s boom to 149 in 2009, a drop of 83%. The nearest bust profile in the Pacific states was Albany, OR's (83%). The 2021–2025 pace of 495 units a year is 37% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 5 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Santa Cruz, with 999 units or 40% of the total, followed by Santa Cruz County (unincorporated) with 709. Among the three largest, Santa Cruz put 71% of its units in five-plus buildings, Santa Cruz County (unincorporated) 8%.

  • Santa Cruz40% (999 units)
  • Santa Cruz County (unincorporated)29% (709 units)
  • Watsonville19% (475 units)
  • Scotts Valley8.9% (220 units)
  • Capitola2.9% (72 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Houses or apartments

In Santa Cruz, 53% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 46% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Worcester (45% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 16%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2007 (496), single-family houses in 2004 (736).

2021–202552.6%53%2.0%45.5%46%2004–200682.1%82%2.4%15.5%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202552.6%53%2.0%45.5%46%2004–200682.1%82%2.4%15.5%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

The wider San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland region

The Census Bureau groups Santa Cruz with 7 neighboring metro areas in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 22,449 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Santa Cruz accounted for 2.2%. The others, with their yearly averages: San Francisco (9,196), San Jose (5,974), Stockton (3,269), Vallejo (1,256), Modesto (880), Merced (691) and 1 more.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI4871.814%
Yakima, WA7132.918%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA4701.946%
Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ1,7188.216%
Tyler, TX5433.03.9%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Santa Cruz beside Yakima

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: California. Counting rules.