This page delivers traffic analytics for Santa Cruz County, California. Our metrics are calculated with multi-sourced, cross-verified data from real-world mobile and sensor networks, and averaged for Santa Cruz County, California among 496 road miles divided in 14,401 segments. Our metrics go beyond simple volume counts to provide actionable insights on traffic intensity, congestion, commercial vehicle flow, and network performance with highest possible granularity (average segment length is 182 ft). Whether you are evaluating a new retail location, planning logistics routes, or assessing infrastructure needs, this data helps you move from assumptions to certainty.
Data sourced from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform.
The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.
9,546
Trucks
Trucks
The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.
6.4%
Average travel time
Average travel time
The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.
39.8 min
Congestion ratio
Congestion ratio
The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.
28.7%
Drivers’ average age
Drivers’ average age
Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.
44.9 yrs
Drivers’ average income
Drivers’ average income
Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.
$107,108
Our data indicates an estimated average traffic volume of 9,546 vehicles per day in Santa Cruz County, California that results in 5,191,962 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈1.9 billion per year). The traffic stream is comprised of an average of 1 truck for every 16 vehicles. Typical time spent behind the wheel per trip is 39.8 minutes, which already accounts for delays at signals, intersections, and congestion.
Analytical insight
When compared to the California state averages: Santa Cruz sees 25% lower average daily traffic volume than the state average (9,546 vehicles per day against 12,766), suggesting less demand on each road - a critical factor for logistics and site planning. In total volume terms, its road network carries 5,191,962 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈1.9 billion per year), about 0.6% of California's statewide total. Journey times run 15% higher than the state level, at 39.8 minutes on average. At 5% higher than the state level, the 28.7% congestion ratio signals more pronounced congestion - crucial for traffic control improvement and logistics planning. By volume, Santa Cruz's 9,546 vehicles per day outpaces 72% of counties in California. Its average travel time of 39.8 minutes is longer than 91% of counties in California.
Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis
Highway Traffic
Traffic
Traffic
The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.
36,266
Trucks
Trucks
The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.
7.6%
Average travel time
Average travel time
The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.
34.5 min
Congestion ratio
Congestion ratio
The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.
78.6%
Drivers’ average age
Drivers’ average age
Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.
44.7 yrs
Drivers’ average income
Drivers’ average income
Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.
$118,725
A significant volume of traffic in Santa Cruz County, California utilizes the highway network. The average highway carries 36,266 vehicles per day, 339% more than the average non-highway road in the same area, which carries 8,254 vehicles per day. That average covers 84 highway road miles divided in 664 segments (average segment length 667 ft), together carrying 2,647,208 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈966 million per year). Trucks constitute 7.6% of highway traffic.
Analytical insight
Highway truck concentration here runs 27% lower than the state average, at 7.6% - positioning Santa Cruz as a primarily local traffic hub. For logistics operators, this validates the importance of local access. Santa Cruz's highway truck share (7.6%) is higher than 12% of counties in California. 41% of counties in California see fewer highway trucks per day than Santa Cruz's roughly 2,742.
Non-highway traffic
Traffic
Traffic
The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.
8,254
Trucks
Trucks
The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.
5.2%
Average travel time
Average travel time
The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.
40.0 min
Congestion ratio
Congestion ratio
The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.
26.3%
Drivers’ average age
Drivers’ average age
Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.
45.1 yrs
Drivers’ average income
Drivers’ average income
Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.
$98,282
The non-highway road network in Santa Cruz County, California supports a substantial volume of traffic. The average non-highway road carries 8,254 vehicles per day, 77% less than the average highway in the same area, which carries 36,266 vehicles per day. That average covers 412 non-highway road miles divided in 13,737 segments (average segment length 158 ft), together carrying 2,544,754 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈929 million per year). Trucks constitute 5.2% of non-highway traffic.
Analytical insight
Compared to highways, non-highway routes see 32% fewer trucks by share. Non-highway congestion here (26.3%) closely tracks the state average. Overall, average travel time here is longer than 91% of counties in California. Trip origins here have higher average income than 72% of counties in California. 49% of counties in California have a younger driver population than Santa Cruz.
Time-of-Day & Seasonal Patterns
Analytical insight
In Santa Cruz County, California, the peak hour concentrates about 8% of the day's traffic.
Traffic Flow Profile Comparison
Metric
Santa Cruz
California
Average
Difference
Traffic
9,546
12,766
-25.2%
Truck % (Total Traffic)
6.4%
7.8%
-17.9%
Truck % (Highway)
7.6%
10.4%
-27.2%
Avg. Travel Time
39.8 min
34.5 min
+15.3%
Frequently Asked Questions
The average daily traffic volume is calculated at 9,546 vehicles per day, providing a baseline for daily operations and site assessment.
Trip origins in Santa Cruz have higher average income than 72% of counties in California.
The average travel time for drivers is 39.8 minutes, offering a standard metric for commute and delivery route planning.
Drivers on Santa Cruz roads have a median age of 45 years, and the median household income of the neighborhoods trips originate from averages $107,108 - useful context for retail siting and customer profiling.
Weekday peaks occur between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM in the morning and between 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM in the evening - about 80% above the daily average.
Trucks account for approximately 6.4% of the total traffic mix across all road types, with a significantly higher concentration of 7.6% on highways.
Data Sources & Methodology
The data presented on this page is derived from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform, which aggregates and normalizes information from multiple sources, including:
Mobile device location data (anonymized and aggregated)
