Where Are People Moving in Santa Cruz, CA?
IRS county-to-county migration, 2023 tax year (released about two years after the tax year it covers).
People moving in
4,118
People moving out
4,922
Net migration
-1,922
Santa Cruz, CA is a net loser of residents. In the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), 4,118 people moved in and 4,922 moved out, for a net loss of -1,922. Net outflows can soften local rent and price growth over time, though the cause matters as much as the number.
Migration is most useful read alongside the rest of the market. People move for jobs, affordability, climate, and lifestyle, and where they come from and go to says a lot about what a county is competing on. Below are the specific counties driving Santa Cruz, CA’s flows in each direction.
Top counties people moved to Santa Cruz, CA from
| Origin county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara, CACalifornia | 1,029 | 1,641 |
| Monterey, CACalifornia | 545 | 966 |
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 285 | 362 |
| Alameda, CACalifornia | 236 | 337 |
| San Francisco, CACalifornia | 195 | 256 |
| San Mateo, CACalifornia | 174 | 270 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | 154 | 202 |
| Contra Costa, CACalifornia | 134 | 181 |
| Sacramento, CACalifornia | 110 | 155 |
| Orange, CACalifornia | 108 | 149 |
Top counties people left Santa Cruz, CA for
| Destination county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara, CACalifornia | 869 | 1,264 |
| Monterey, CACalifornia | 721 | 1,337 |
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 288 | 339 |
| San Francisco, CACalifornia | 244 | 280 |
| Alameda, CACalifornia | 242 | 302 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | 220 | 285 |
| Sacramento, CACalifornia | 136 | 182 |
| San Benito, CACalifornia | 130 | 267 |
| Contra Costa, CACalifornia | 121 | 168 |
| San Mateo, CACalifornia | 119 | 156 |
“Returns” counts tax returns (a household proxy) that moved along each flow; “People” counts the individuals on those returns, when reported. IRS aggregate and foreign pseudo-rows are excluded. Informational only, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Are people moving to Santa Cruz, CA or leaving?
Santa Cruz, CA had a net loss of -1,922 residents in the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), with 4,118 people moving in and 4,922 moving out. Net migration is inflow minus outflow.
Where are people moving to Santa Cruz, CA from?
The largest sources of new Santa Cruz, CA residents are Santa Clara, CA, Monterey, CA, Los Angeles, CA. The full top-ten list of origin counties is in the table above.
Where do people leaving Santa Cruz, CA go?
People leaving Santa Cruz, CA most often move to Santa Clara, CA, Monterey, CA, Los Angeles, CA. The full top-ten list of destination counties is in the table above.
What does Santa Cruz, CA migration mean for housing?
Migration is a leading demand signal. Sustained net inflows tend to support rents and home prices when supply cannot keep up, while net outflows can soften them. Read this alongside Santa Cruz, CA's price forecast, building permits, and affordability on the full county dashboard before drawing a conclusion.
How current is this Santa Cruz, CA migration data?
It comes from IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration data, which is released about two years after the tax year it covers; the figures above reflect the 2023 tax year. That lag is normal for this dataset, which counts actual tax returns rather than survey estimates.