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California›Santa Cruz County
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Pajaro DunesCA

143 people call this town in California home.

Population
143
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$1.75M
Census ACS
Household income
$113K
median
Median age
73.2
years
Land area
3 sq mi

Is Pajaro Dunes a good place to live?

67% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Pajaro Dunes, above both the California town median (29%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). Of the 848 California towns we compare, none has a higher share of households owning their home than Pajaro Dunes. Pajaro Dunes’ trail density is 1.6 miles per square mile, against 1.0 in California’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Sunset State Beach, at 160 acres. Pajaro Dunes has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

143 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Watsonville · 4 miCapitola · 11 miMarina · 13 miSanta Cruz · 15 miSan Juan Bautista · 15 miGilroy · 15 mi
Nearby attractions

Levi's Stadium and 60 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Pajaro Dunes. Close and well known come first.

All 96 attractions →
Big draw38 mi Stadium & arenaLevi's StadiumBig draw38 mi Theme parkCalifornia's Great America18 mi Zoo & aquariumMonterey Bay Aquarium19 mi MuseumMonterey Museum of Art33 mi Stadium & arenaSAP Center6 mi Canyon & gorgeMonterey Canyon
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Levi's Stadium: Matthew Roth, CC BY-SA 2.0 · California's Great America: Oleg Alexandrov, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Monterey Bay Aquarium: Meij.kobayashi, Public domain · Monterey Museum of Art: Sgerbic, CC BY-SA 4.0 · SAP Center: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0

Getting set up

Moving to Pajaro Dunes: who provides what

Pajaro Dunes is unincorporated, so Santa Cruz County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet6 providers74% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSanta Cruz CountySanta Cruz County provides services here
SchoolsPajaro Valley Joint Unified School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereSanta Cruz County Clerk - ElectionsSanta Cruz County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025
ZIP code9507695076 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Pajaro Dunes.

Natural hazards

Pajaro Dunes has a very high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from drought

FEMA puts nearly two fifths of Pajaro Dunes’s expected hazard losses down to drought, and 31% to earthquakes. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 90% of U.S. communities.

90risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
90Very high riskLowerHigher
DroughtEarthquakesInland flooding
Full pagePajaro Dunes’ hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesVery high riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters29 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready40 events a year, on average · Ready for drought

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Pajaro Dunes has mild winters and pleasant summers

For Pajaro Dunes, the peak summer temperature is 68°F.

70°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter43–61°
Spring48–64°
Summer54–68°
Fall50–68°
Dec 13
typical first frost
Jan 28
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
70°
typical summer high
Full pagePajaro Dunes’ climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 68°, January lows 43°Rain & snow23″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard ofHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.9° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Pajaro Dunes is

On the CDC’s 32 measures, Pajaro Dunes is ahead of California on 8 and behind on 2. The share of adults in Pajaro Dunes who have obesity: 24%.

Pajaro DunesCalifornia townsU.S. towns
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)28%35%36%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)24%29%35%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)9%11%14%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)73%72%79%
32 measures vs. California
8 better22 too close to call2 worse
What stands outPajaro DunesCA
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth6.9%10.6%
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity11.3%14.9%
More adults who have had cancer10.4%6.4%
Watsonville Community Hospital
4.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
Full pagePajaro Dunes’ health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsFewer adults sleeping under 7 hoursHospitals & doctors nearby4.2 miles to an ER · Watsonville Community HospitalHow adults are doingFewer adults lacking emotional supportEvery CDC estimateBetter than CA on 8 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Outdoors

6.2% of the land in Pajaro Dunes is protected from building

Count the trails in 4 parks and preserves and they come to 4.1 miles. Parks and preserves in Pajaro Dunes: 4, covering 220 acres.

6.2%conserved
6.2%
conserved · 102 of 1,648 acres
4.1 mi
of trails · 1.6 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Sunset State Beach0.6 mi160
2. Sunset Wetland Natural Preserve—42
3. Zmudowski State Beach—9
Full pagePajaro Dunes’ outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map4.1 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk0.6 miles of trail · Sunset State BeachConserved land6.2% conserved · 102 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Pajaro Dunes?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

$814Kmedian sale price
3
homes sold in September
Full pagePajaro Dunes’ housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsPrices over the yearsYears of income to buyA typical home costs 7.2 years of incomeRentsRents

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Pajaro Dunes

15pages on Pajaro Dunes
The big questions
HealthBetter than CA on 8 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingWork & commute$113K median household incomeNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 90% of U.S. communities · drought
Out and about
Outdoors4 mi of trails · 6% conserved landPlacesAttractions96 nearby · Monterey Canyon 6 miLibraryPajaro Branch LibraryCollegesCabrillo College is 10.7 mi away
The story
Climate70° summer highs
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

4 within 15 miles of the center of Pajaro Dunes

Cabrillo CollegeCommunity college · Public · Aptos10.7 mi$1,270 in-state tuitionFive Branches UniversityUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Santa Cruz12.5 miCalifornia State University-Monterey BayUniversity or college · Public · Seaside14.9 mi$7,779 in-state tuition

About 0 of every 100 Pajaro Dunes residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

About Pajaro Dunes

Census-designated place in California, United States

Pajaro Dunes is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. Pajaro Dunes is situated at an elevation of 13 feet (4.0 m) above sea level. The 2020 United States census reported Pajaro Dunes' population was 122.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
2.6 sq mi
Elevation
13 ft

Questions about Pajaro Dunes

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Pajaro Dunes, CA a good place to live?

Pajaro Dunes has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.