Watsonville, California
Among the top 4% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 2% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 96% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 38% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 84% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 54% of US places
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 6% for annual snowfall
- bottom 1% for cost of living
Watsonville is a mid-size city in California with about 52,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, annual snowfall, and air quality. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and cost of living.
Official websiteci.watsonville.ca.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Dry
cool
comfortable
warm
comfortable
cool
82%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.2 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$106kbetter than 1% of US places
Home Value$630k94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 10% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 10% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.67%better than 75% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden22.02%better than 2% of US places
Unemployment9.4%better than 15% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)51°F90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)63°F2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation22.4 in16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days231 daysbetter than 46% of US places
Summer Humidity53°Fbetter than 86% of US places
Comfortable Days184 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk77.9better than 30% of US places
Air Quality31 AQIbetter than 90% of US places
School Quality66.5better than 61% of US places
Violent Crime1316/100kbetter than 23% of US places
Property Crime1862/100kbetter than 23% of US places
Community
Population52,45797th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age33.016th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6898th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9849th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+622nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)13.2%6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.4%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)82.6%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.7%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)1.1%29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time26 minbetter than 47% of US places
Walkability9.0/20better than 81% of US places
Airport Distance30 mibetter than 82% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.1%better than 50% of US places
Amenities Nearby25.54better than 25% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 85% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Watsonville an affordable place to live?
- Watsonville is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $106k, better than 0% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Watsonville?
- The median home value in Watsonville is $630k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Watsonville?
- Median household income in Watsonville is $72k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Watsonville?
- Median gross rent in Watsonville is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Watsonville safe?
- Watsonville is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1316/100k (better than 23%). Property crime is 1862/100k.
- What is the weather like in Watsonville?
- Watsonville averages 63°F in July and 51°F in January, with 22.4 in of annual precipitation and about 231 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Watsonville?
- Public-school quality in Watsonville is above average, scoring better than 61% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Watsonville?
- The average one-way commute in Watsonville is 26 min.
Other places in Santa Cruz County
Places near Watsonville
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)