The Town FilesCapitola, California
City in Santa Cruz County · population 9,938 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $783,000
- Household income
- $102,976
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 74°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 47.6
Capitola is a city of 9,938 people in Santa Cruz County, California. The median home is worth $783,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 98% of California towns, more vibrant than 98% of California towns, hipper than 97% of California towns.
- #6 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Least Snow
- #7 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in California
- #8 in The 25 Hippest Small Towns in California
- #9 in The 50 Most Walkable Small Towns in America With Little Snow
- #13 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in California
- #14 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Young Professionals in California
How Capitola ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Capitola is worth $783,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.6 times the median household income of $102,976, which is more affordable than 33% of California towns. Median rent is $2,512 a month. 52.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Capitola | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $783,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,512 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $102,976 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.6× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 52.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.3% | — |
Who lives in Capitola
| People | Capitola | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 15.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.9% | — |
| Work from home | 28.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Capitola
July highs average 74.3°F and January lows 41.4°F. About 30.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 6 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Capitola since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on December 14, 2024 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 14, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 1, 1965.
Severe weather in Santa Cruz County since 1996
Santa Cruz County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County had 104,514 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,622 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Capitola itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Capitola
2 public schools with 617 students, about 19.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Brighton Middle | 6-8 | 611 | 20.4 |
| Opal Cliffs | K-8 | 6 | 6.0 |
Towns near Capitola
- Pleasure Point, CA1.4 mi · 5,821 people · home $1,183,600
- Soquel, CA1.5 mi · 9,980 people · home $957,300
- Live Oak, CA1.6 mi · 17,038 people · home $1,015,200
- Seacliff, CA2.0 mi · 3,280 people · home $1,143,600
- Twin Lakes, CA2.3 mi · 4,944 people · home $959,100
- Aptos, CA3.5 mi · 6,664 people · home $1,093,300
- Rio del Mar, CA4.0 mi · 9,128 people · home $1,338,100
- Santa Cruz, CA4.5 mi · 62,956 people · home $1,209,000
Capitola questions
Is Capitola, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Capitola scores better for retirees than 70% of California towns and quieter than 25%. 24.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.6).
How much does a house cost in Capitola?
The median owner-occupied home in Capitola is valued at $783,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $102,976, so homes cost about 7.6 times income. Median rent is $2,512 a month.
What is the weather like in Capitola?
July highs average 74.3°F and January lows 41.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Capitola get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Capitola since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on December 14, 2024. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)