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Watsonville

Watsonville, California
Charter city
City of Watsonville
Downtown Watsonville in 2000
Downtown Watsonville in 2000
Flag of Watsonville, California
Flag
Official seal of Watsonville, California
Seal
Motto: "Opportunity through diversity; unity through cooperation!"
Location in Santa Cruz County and the state of California
Location in Santa Cruz County and the state of California
Watsonville, California is located in the US
Watsonville, California
Watsonville, California
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 36°55′12″N 121°45′49″W / 36.92000°N 121.76361°W / 36.92000; -121.76361Coordinates: 36°55′12″N 121°45′49″W / 36.92000°N 121.76361°W / 36.92000; -121.76361
Country  United States of America
State  California
County Santa Cruz
Incorporated March 30, 1868
Government
 • Type Council-manager
Area
 • Total 6.783 sq mi (17.569 km2)
 • Land 6.687 sq mi (17.319 km2)
 • Water 0.096 sq mi (0.250 km2)  1.42%
Elevation 29 ft (9 m)
Population (April 1, 2010)
 • Total 51,199
 • Estimate (2013) 52,477
 • Density 7,500/sq mi (2,900/km2)
Time zone Pacific (UTC-8)
 • Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP codes 95076, 95077
Area code 831
FIPS code 06-83668
GNIS feature IDs 1660138, 2412194
Website www.ci.watsonville.ca.us

Watsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The population was 51,199 according to the 2010 census. Located on the central coast of California, the economy centers predominantly around the farming industry. It is known for growing strawberries, apples, lettuce and a host of other vegetables. Watsonville is home to people of varied ethnic backgrounds. There is a large Hispanic population, a group of Croats, Portuguese, Filipino, Caucasian, Sikhs and Japanese population that live and work in the city.

The Pajaro Valley, wherein Watsonville is located, has a climate that is usually pleasant — around 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year. This climate makes Watsonville an attractive coastal environment for the neighboring inland communities with very hot summers. The Pajaro Valley Unified School District has an attendance of about 18,000 students kindergarten through 12th grades. There are several private religious-based schools in Watsonville such as Notre Dame School, Monte Vista Christian, Salesian Sisters and St. Francis. There are also several charter schools and the non-religious independent Pre-K through 12th grade Mount Madonna School. These schools provide a wide range of educational options for local families. Watsonville is generally conservative on the political spectrum and average in relationship to the neighboring communities of Salinas, Castroville, and Prunedale.

The larger coastal town directly north of Watsonville is the city of Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is a draw for many young college students who attend Cabrillo College or University of California, Santa Cruz. Because Watsonville and Santa Cruz are beach towns, they draw many visitors from San Jose and from the Central Valley areas. Like neighboring Salinas in Monterey County, Watsonville produces a variety of fruits and vegetables, primarily apples, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and table mushrooms.


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