Transportation in Santa Cruz, CA
Commute patterns, travel times, and transportation modes — 2023 ACS Data
Commute Overview
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Mean Commute
18 min
-22% vs national
Drive Alone
53.0%
-33% vs national
Public Transit
4.8%
+431% vs national
Work From Home
19.3%
+107% vs national
Carpool
6.2%
Walk / Bike
15.1%
combined
How Santa Cruz's Commute Compares
Source: Census ACS (2023)How People Get to Work
Source: Census ACS (2023)Commute Mode Breakdown
Source: Census ACS (2023)Traffic Fatalities
Source: NHTSA FARS (2023)Fatalities
2
2023
6-Year Avg
3
fatalities/yr
Pedestrian
1
Nighttime
1
dark conditions
| Year | Crashes | Fatalities | Alcohol | Pedestrian | Cyclist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Data from NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Includes only crashes involving at least one fatality.
The average commute in Santa Cruz, CA is 18 minutes, which is 21.8% below the national average of 23 minutes. 53.0% of workers drive alone, compared to the national average of 78.7%. 19.3% work from home, which is above the CA state average of 14.0%. Public transit is used by 4.8% of commuters, compared to the national average of 0.9%. 6.2% of workers carpool. 9.8% walk to work. 5.2% commute by bicycle. In 2023, there were 2 traffic fatalities from 2 fatal crashes. 1 was a pedestrian.