NAICS 56

Administrative and Support Services in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

Metro Market Score 54.0 (Challenging), ranked #146 of 267 metros. 384 establishments, 3,862 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 54.0
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national administrative and support services average.

💰High-Cost Market

At #146 of 267 metros, Santa Cruz-Watsonville's administrative and support services sector scores 54.0 on the market index. Concentration (25.1), wage levels (76.0), and growth (40.5) all track close to the median. Local factors like lease costs and client access will matter more than macro signals.

Industry Concentration
25.1
LQ: 0.63
Rank #67 of 267 metros
Wage Competitiveness
76.0
$54,387 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 40.5
Employment growth index
Rank #160 of 267 metros
Wage Pressure
54.2
YoY wage change index

384 Administrative and Support Services Firms in Santa Cruz-Watsonville

384
Establishments
-1.3% YoY
3,862
Total Employment
-3.3% YoY
$54,387
Average Annual Wage
+1.4% YoY
0.63
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Santa Cruz-Watsonville vs California Statewide

How this metro's administrative and support services market compares to California overall. The state ranks #27/51 for entry risk.

Measure Santa Cruz-Watsonville CA Statewide
Overall Score 54.0 Challenging 42.0 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #146 of 267 metros #27 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Santa Cruz-Watsonville

Information 31.9 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 44.3 Construction 47.5 Healthcare and Social Assistance 49.2 Finance and Insurance 61.0 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 62.6 Retail Trade 64.7 Other Services 78.6 Accommodation and Food Services 83.7

Administrative and Support Services in Other California Metros

Merced 19.7 #2/267 Chico 26.0 #9/267 Fresno 34.7 #34/267 El Centro 37.6 #46/267 Redding 39.9 #56/267 Yuba City 44.4 #80/267 Stockton-Lodi 47.5 #102/267 Hanford-Corcoran 48.0 #106/267 Napa 49.2 #111/267 Vallejo 49.8 #114/267

+ 14 more metros. View all in California →

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Santa Cruz-Watsonville's administrative and support services sector, the wage competitiveness component (76.0) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.