Santa Cruz County, California

Santa Cruz County, California
County of Santa Cruz
Images, from top down, left to right: The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in 2005, a walkway through redwood groves in Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad in 2008, Downtown Watsonville in 2010, Davenport Beach in 2006
Flag of Santa Cruz County, California
Official seal of Santa Cruz County, California
Map
Interactive map of Santa Cruz County
Location in the state of California
Location in the state of California
Coordinates: 37°02′N 122°01′W / 37.03°N 122.01°W / 37.03; -122.01
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
RegionCentral Coast
CSASan Jose-San Francisco-Oakland
IncorporatedFebruary 18, 1850[1]
Named forMission Santa Cruz and the city of Santa Cruz, both named after the Exaltation of the Cross
County seatSanta Cruz
Largest citySanta Cruz
Government
 • TypeCouncil–CAO
 • BodyBoard of Supervisors
 • ChairZach Friend
 • Vice ChairJustin Cummings
 • Board of Supervisors[2]
Supervisors
  • Manu Koenig
  • Zach Friend
  • Justin Cummings
  • Felipe Hernandez
  • Bruce McPherson
 • County Administrative OfficerCarlos J. Palacios
Area
 • Total607 sq mi (1,570 km2)
 • Land445 sq mi (1,150 km2)
 • Water162 sq mi (420 km2)
Highest elevation3,234 ft (986 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total270,861
 • Density609/sq mi (235/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific Time Zone)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Area code831
FIPS code06-087
GNIS feature ID277308
Congressional districts18th, 19th
Websitewww.co.santa-cruz.ca.us

Santa Cruz County (/ˌsæntə ˈkrz/ ), officially the County of Santa Cruz, is a county on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 270,861.[4] The county seat is Santa Cruz.[5] Santa Cruz County comprises the Santa Cruz–Watsonville, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the San JoseSan FranciscoOakland, CA Combined Statistical Area. The county is on the California Central Coast,[6] south of the San Francisco Bay Area region. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay, with Monterey County forming the southern coast.

  1. ^ "Chronology". California State Association of Counties. Archived from the original on January 29, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  2. ^ "Board Members | Santa Cruz County, CA - Official Website".
  3. ^ "Mount Bielewski". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  4. ^ "Santa Cruz County, California". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  5. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. ^ "Central Coast". California State Parks. California Department of Recreation. Retrieved July 26, 2014.