Santa Cruz County, California Employment Sector Statistics (2024)
Workforce distribution by employment sector for Santa Cruz County, California
Employment Indicators for Santa Cruz County, California (2024)
Total Employed
130,957
Civilian 16+
Private For-Profit
64.3 %
Largest Sector
Self-Employed
9.0%
Entrepreneurship
Government
16.7%
Public Sector
Santa Cruz County, California Workforce by Sector & Gender

Santa Cruz County, California Employment Sector Breakdown
| Sector | Total Workers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 84,230 | 64.3% |
| Government | 21,926 | 16.7% |
| Self-Employed | 11,745 | 9.0% |
| Private Non-Profit | 12,710 | 9.7% |
Santa Cruz County, California Gender Ratio Analysis by Employment Sector (2024)
| Sector | Male:Female Ratio |
|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1.33:1 |
| Government | 0.87:1 |
| Self-Employed | 1.06:1 |
Santa Cruz County, California Employment Trends (2010–2024)

Santa Cruz County, California Historical Employment Sector Trends
| Year | Private | Gov | Self-Emp | Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 64.3% | 16.7% | 9.0% | 9.7% |
| 2023 | 64.7% | 16.4% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2022 | 65.2% | 16.1% | 9.7% | 8.8% |
| 2021 | 64.7% | 15.8% | 9.7% | 9.5% |
| 2020 | 64.2% | 16.0% | 9.7% | 9.8% |
| 2019 | 63.6% | 15.8% | 10.4% | 9.9% |
| 2018 | 64.0% | 15.2% | 10.6% | 9.8% |
| 2017 | 64.2% | 15.4% | 10.8% | 9.3% |
| 2016 | 64.9% | 14.9% | 10.9% | 8.9% |
| 2015 | 64.6% | 15.3% | 11.4% | 8.5% |
| 2014 | 65.0% | 15.8% | 11.2% | 7.8% |
| 2013 | 64.9% | 15.6% | 11.7% | 7.6% |
| 2012 | 64.2% | 16.0% | 12.0% | 7.7% |
| 2011 | 63.5% | 16.3% | 12.5% | 7.5% |
| 2010 | 63.4% | 16.0% | 12.7% | 7.6% |
Employment Sector FAQs for Santa Cruz County, California
The largest employment sector in Santa Cruz County, California is Private For-Profit, which employs 64.3% of the local workforce.
There are approximately 130,957 civilian workers aged 16 and over currently employed in Santa Cruz County, California.
In the private for-profit sector, the male-to-female ratio is 1.33:1. This metric helps highlight gender participation across the most prominent industry classes.
Since 2010, the total number of workers in Santa Cruz County, California has shown an increase, moving from 126,380 to 130,957 according to Census Bureau records.