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Watsonville, CA

Full City Profile · California · San Benito County County

2.1 /5.0
C Fair
51,968 Population 7,654/sq mi density
$74,785 Median Income $27,296 per capita
$657,700 Home Value $816,554 Zillow
$1,784 Median Rent 34.6% income on rent
58°F Avg Temperature 323 sunny days/yr
604 Violent Crime/100K 1,790 property/100K
C
Overall
2.1 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B+
Economy
3.7 / 5.0
$74,785 median income, 4.9% unemployment
D
Affordability
1.7 / 5.0
$657,700 home value, $1,784/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
604 violent crimes/100K (59% above avg)
C
Education
2.0 / 5.0
12.7% bachelor's degree or higher

Watsonville, CA

At a Glance

Median Income
$74,785
0% below
$27,296 per capita
Home Value
$657,700
133% above
Zillow: $816,554
Median Rent
$1,784/mo
53% above
34.6% of income on rent
Violent Crime
604/100K
59% above
1,790/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
12.7%
62% below
65.5% high school+
Unemployment
4.9%
36% above
12.8% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
32.2%
0% below
13.9% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
58°F
323 sunny days/yr

How Watsonville Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Watsonville's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
100%
Home Value
233%
Rent
153%
Poverty
103%
Bachelor's
38%
Unemployment
136%
Crime
159%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Watsonville a Good Place to Live?

C
2.1 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Watsonville residents earn a median household income of $74,785 , which is 0% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $27,296. The unemployment rate stands at 4.9% (36% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 12.8% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 1,930 business establishments, including 113 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Watsonville is $657,700 , 133% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $816,554. Median rent is $1,784/month, with 34.6% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 110.7 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1976.

Safety & Crime

Watsonville reports 604 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 59% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 1,790/100K. The murder rate is 1.8/100K.

Education

12.7% of adults in Watsonville hold a bachelor's degree or higher (62% below the national average). 65.5% have completed high school. Local schools score 4.5/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Watsonville has an average annual temperature of 58°F (14°C). Winters average 51°F in January while summers reach 63°F in July. The area gets 323 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 22.7 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 48.

Data Overview

People

Population51,968
Median Age32.7 yrs
Density7,654/mi²
Male / Female50% / 50%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans2.5%

Economy

B+
Median Income$74,785
Per Capita$27,296
Unemployment4.9%
Poverty12.8%
County GDP$3,285M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,154

Housing

D
Home Value$657,700
Rent$1,784
Ownership43.6%
Zillow$816,554
Housing Units15,835
Rent Burden34.6%

Crime

F
Violent604/100K
Property1,790/100K
Murder1.8/100K
Assault437/100K
Burglary273/100K

Health

Obesity32.2%
Diabetes13.7%
Smoking13.9%
Heart Disease6.2%
Premature Death6,316/100K

Climate

Avg Temp58°F
Sunny Days323/yr
Rain22.7 in/yr
AQI48 (Good)
Elevation72 ft

Education

C
Bachelor's+12.7%
High School+65.5%
Graduate+3.8%
School Score4.5/10

Community

2024 VoteR 42% / D 55%
Commute27 min
Broadband89.0%
Internet Speed92 Mbps
EV Stations28
Libraries3

Did You Know?

Watsonville was founded in 1868.
The median home in Watsonville was built in 1976.
The nearest airport is Monterey Regional (24 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.407 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA.
13.0% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 113 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 18 fatal vehicle crashes.