Neighborhood · Santa Cruz, CA

Westside Eviction Risk: Elevated

3 census tracts · pop 14,207 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 6.7/10 · range 5.9–7.4

Westside is a white (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Santa Cruz with 3 census tracts and a population of 14,207 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 6.7/10 (Elevated tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 51% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 40% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $3,036/month sits 24% higher than the Santa Cruz citywide average ($2,452).

Risk score

6.7

Elevated

3 tracts · population-weighted

Westside vs Santa Cruz How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

50.9% +57%

Santa Cruz: 32.5%

Average gross rent

$3,036 +24%

Santa Cruz: $2,452

Average HH income

$118,082 +6%

Santa Cruz: $111,427

Poverty rate

21.4% +21%

Santa Cruz: 17.6%

Renter share

39.2% -24%

Santa Cruz: 51.6%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Westside and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 3 tracts span score 5.9–7.4

Why Westside scores 6.7

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 6.8–6.8 across tracts

6.8

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 8.0–8.0 across tracts

8.0

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 8.2–8.2 across tracts

8.2

Rent control risk

51% of income on rent · Range 7.6–7.6 across tracts

7.6

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 6.1–6.1 across tracts

6.1

Tenant organizing strength

39% renter households · Range 9.3–9.3 across tracts

9.3

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 7.5–7.5 across tracts

7.5

Economic stress

21.4% below poverty line · Range 3.7–7.4 across tracts

5.4

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 1.8–2.8 across tracts

2.2

Risk score comparison

Westside vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Variance across tracts

How uniformly does eviction risk play out in Westside?

Left: distribution of constituent tract scores. Right: every tract as a heat square. Click any square to drill in.

Score distribution

0246810

Spread of 1.5 points from 5.9 to 7.4. Moderate variation across constituent tracts.

Tracts as heat grid

7.4 6.8 5.9

Each square = one census tract. Color tracks the same green→red ramp as the chloropleth map above.

Census tracts

3 tracts in Westside

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
06087100500	7.4	5,709	78%	$2,876
06087101200	6.8	2,928	31%	$2,883
06087101100	5.9	5,570	34%	$3,280

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 39

Pop-weighted across 3 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 45%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 16%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 53%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 51%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Westside

Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.

9.7%Housing insecurity
5.9%Utility shutoff threat
12.0%Food insecurity
11.3%SNAP enrollment
5.7%No health insurance
28.0%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Westside

What is the eviction-risk score for Westside?

Westside scores 6.7/10 (Elevated tier) across 3 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does Westside compare to Santa Cruz overall?

Westside scores 1.7 points lower than Santa Cruz overall (8.4/10). Renters spend 51% of income on rent vs 33% citywide. Average rent: $3,036 vs $2,452.

What is the average rent in Westside?

Average gross rent in Westside is $3,036/month (pop-weighted across 3 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 51% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Westside residents are renters?

39% of Westside households are renter-occupied (vs 52% in Santa Cruz). The neighborhood has 14,207 residents.

Is Westside a high social-vulnerability area?

Westside sits in the 39th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (less vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

Which tracts in Westside have the highest eviction risk?

The highest-risk constituent tract in Westside is census tract 06087100500 (score 7.4/10). Across the 3 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 5.9 to 7.4, a spread of 1.5 points.

How safe is Westside for landlords?

Westside carries a elevated-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (6.7/10). Pop-weighted across 3 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Santa Cruz as a whole (8.4/10), this neighborhood is lower-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of Westside?

Westside has 13,831 residents (White (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (64.9%), Hispanic / Latino (20.5%), Asian (non-Hispanic) (7.3%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Westside

6.7 Mission Hill Historic District 7 tracts · pop 23,630 5.1 Capitola Esplanade 6 tracts · pop 18,983 2.6 The Vineyards 2 tracts · pop 8,749 6.6 Freedom 8 tracts · pop 30,165 7.5 Colache Town 7 tracts · pop 26,036

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Santa Cruz

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Westside.

6.7 Mission Hill Historic District 7 tracts · pop 23,630 8.3 University 1 tracts · pop 9,546

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