Watsonville
What’s happening
Weather
Forecast →Upcoming events
Put the next local happening — a market, a meeting, a concert — on the map.
Local news
Headlines via Google News · Articles belong to their publishers.
The Watsonville album
Outdoors in Watsonville
Parks & trails →Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
![Residence of James Rogers at Watsonville, Cal[ifornia]](https://images.towntapestry.org/story/1424/bfba6a65469526ec96ec-l.jpg)
1879
Residence of James Rogers at Watsonville, Cal[ifornia], 1879
Photo · Library of Congress
About Watsonville
City in California, United StatesWatsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States, in the Monterey Bay Area of the Central Coast of California. The population was 52,590 at the 2020 census. Predominantly Latino and Democratic, Watsonville is a self-designated sanctuary city.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
How Watsonville ranks
All →Town numbers
Housing in Watsonville
The typical Watsonville home is worth about $824,000, up 1.3% in a year, 8% above the California typical home.
A strong seller's market
Safety in Watsonville
Not graded
A grade needs all of the FBI's latest years (2023–2025). Watsonville's police department reported only 2024 and 2025, so we don't grade it yet. The figures below are still real.
Work & commute in Watsonville
Full picture →About one in 5 of Watsonville’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Santa Cruz (8%), San Jose (7%) and Live Oak (4%). Half commute less than 15 miles.
Health in Watsonville
Health Grade C
Healthier than 26% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.
Compared with California
of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 14 are too close to call.
What stands out
Care nearby
Natural hazards in Watsonville
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 97% of U.S. communities.
Climate in Watsonville
Full climate →Watsonville has warm winters and cool summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 73°, a January night drops to 41°, and snow is almost unheard of.
Schools in Watsonville
All Watsonville schools →School Grade B-
The public schools Watsonville’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 52% of California’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within CA. Ratings are from neighbors.
Watsonville’s library
Library details →Where Watsonville is
Explore map →
Location map