Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★2.2 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in Rio del Mar, CA
Explore Rio del Mar and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match7.2 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
Rio del Mar at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population9,201
Median Household Income$159,929
Median Home Value$1,338,100
Median Gross Rent$3,407
Median Age51.4
Average Household Size2.4
Unemployment5.7%
Work From Home30.2%
Homeownership75.2%
Housing Vacancy21.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
Rio del Mar is a smaller community, so land use, housing supply and its relationship with surrounding communities can be especially important to movers. Housing costs are high relative to local household income, making affordability one of the more important factors to examine before relocating here.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in Rio del Mar Before You Move
Explore Short-Term Stays in Rio del Mar →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate
NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Rio del Mar and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in Rio del Mar
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$1,338,100
Median Gross Rent$3,407
Homeownership75.2%
Housing Vacancy21.7%
Home values are relatively high compared with local household income, so purchase affordability deserves close attention. A large majority of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for Rio del Mar, CA
Median Household Income$159,929
Unemployment5.7%
Work From Home30.2%
The reported unemployment rate is in a middle range. Working from home is relatively common among employed residents.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in Rio del Mar and how households are structured
Population9,201
Median Age51.4
Average Household Size2.4
Rio del Mar is a smaller community, so its relationship with nearby towns, employment centers and services can be especially important.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in Rio del Mar
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for Rio del Mar point to mild summers, cool winters, moderate annual rainfall and little to no annual snowfall.
Average Summer High72.4°F
Average Winter Low40.1°F
Annual Rainfall26.5 in.
Annual Snowfall0.0 in.
Seasonal Life in Rio del Mar
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring is a useful time to evaluate how quickly outdoor conditions become comfortable and how seasonal rain affects everyday routines.
Summer
Summer highs are comparatively mild, which may reduce cooling demands and can make daytime outdoor activity more comfortable than in hotter inland locations.
Fall
Fall can be one of the best seasons for comparing neighborhoods because daily routines are active while temperatures transition away from summer conditions.
Winter
Winter lows are relatively mild and measurable snowfall is minimal, so winter living is more likely to revolve around cool or wet conditions than snow removal and prolonged freezes.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
Rio del Mar is located in Santa Cruz County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Santa Cruz County.
County Intelligence
Rio del Mar & Santa Cruz County
Data Pending
Foreclosure Activity
Rio del Mar is located in Santa Cruz County, California.
NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in Rio del Mar.
Current NarrowTheList data for Rio del Mar shows a population of about 9,201. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
Santa Cruz County
How NarrowTheList uses it
County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for Rio del Mar.
For someone considering a move to Rio del Mar, the available data currently points to housing affordability that deserves careful budgeting. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.