NAICS 62

Healthcare and Social Assistance in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

Metro Market Score 49.2 (Challenging), ranked #129 of 248 metros. 3,345 establishments, 16,901 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 49.2
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national healthcare and social assistance average.

💰High-Cost Market📈Rapid Growth

Santa Cruz-Watsonville ranks in the lower half for healthcare and social assistance market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 49.2, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration
60.1
LQ: 1.13
Rank #149 of 248 metros
Wage Competitiveness
94.8
$74,032 avg wage
Growth Trend
↑ 89.5
Employment growth index
Rank #27 of 248 metros
Wage Pressure
36.7
YoY wage change index

3,345 Healthcare and Social Assistance Firms in Santa Cruz-Watsonville

3,345
Establishments
+10.3% YoY
16,901
Total Employment
+6.9% YoY
$74,032
Average Annual Wage
+2.2% YoY
1.13
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Santa Cruz-Watsonville vs California Statewide

How this metro's healthcare and social assistance market compares to California overall. The state ranks #49/51 for entry risk.

Measure Santa Cruz-Watsonville CA Statewide
Overall Score 49.2 Challenging 54.6 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #129 of 248 metros #49 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 Administrative and Support Services 54.0 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

Healthcare and Social Assistance in Other California Metros

Visalia 15.8 #4/248 Merced 17.5 #6/248 Bakersfield-Delano 18.6 #7/248 El Centro 21.7 #8/248 Stockton-Lodi 26.8 #14/248 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura 26.9 #15/248 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario 27.0 #16/248 Hanford-Corcoran 31.8 #26/248 Salinas 32.3 #30/248 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles 34.9 #41/248

+ 13 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 healthcare and social assistance sector, the wage competitiveness component (94.8) 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.