3 census tracts · pop 14,207 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 8.6/10
· range 7.6–9.4
Westside spans 3 census tracts of Santa Cruz, CA, population 14,207. That produces an Eviction Risk Score of 8.6/10, High tier. 40% are severely burdened, paying half their income or more in rent. That cohort has no absorption capacity for an unexpected bill, and it is where non-payment filings originate.
51% of renters here are cost-burdened at the 30% threshold, clearly above the Santa Cruz rate of 32.5%. What pushes the score up most is tenant-organizing strength at 9.3/10. Scores across the 3 constituent tracts range from 7.6 to 9.4. A 1.8-point internal spread means block-level underwriting beats area-level here.
Average gross rent is $3,036, 24% above the Santa Cruz average of $2,452. On the softer side is supply constraint, at 2.2/10.
The poverty rate is 21%, which shows up in this model as reduced rent-recovery odds after a judgment. On the high side is rent-regulation exposure at 7.6/10.
Annual rent works out to 31% of average household income of $118,082. 39% of occupied units are renter-occupied.
For a specific building, read the per-tract breakdown below rather than the 8.6 headline, because the internal range is too wide to average safely. The number is rebuilt whenever its ACS, court-record, or statutory inputs change.
Risk score
8.6
High
3 tracts · population-weighted
Westside vs Santa CruzHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority53%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport51%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
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for Westside?
Westside scores 8.6/10 (High 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.
Q2
How does Westside compare to Santa Cruz overall?
Westside scores 0.6 points higher than Santa Cruz overall (8/10). Renters spend 51% of income on rent vs 33% citywide. Average rent: $3,036 vs $2,452.
Q3
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.
Q4
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.
Q5
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.
Q6
Which tracts in Westside have the highest eviction risk?
The highest-risk constituent tract in Westside is census tract 06087100500 (score 9.4/10). Across the 3 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 7.6 to 9.4, a spread of 1.8 points.
Q7
How safe is Westside for landlords?
Westside carries a high-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (8.6/10). 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 (8/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.
Q8
What is the demographic breakdown of Westside?
Westside has 13,831 residents. Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (64.9%), Hispanic / Latino (20.5%), Asian (non-Hispanic) (7.3%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
