La Selva Beach, California

La Selva Beach
census-designated place
Location of La Selva Beach in Santa Cruz County, California.
Location of La Selva Beach in Santa Cruz County, California.
La Selva Beach is located in California
La Selva Beach
La Selva Beach
Position in California.
Coordinates: 36°55′39″N 121°50′40″W / 36.92750°N 121.84444°W / 36.92750; -121.84444
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountySanta Cruz
Area
[1]
 • Total
5.297 sq mi (13.719 km2)
 • Land5.297 sq mi (13.719 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation
[2]
151 ft (46 m)
Population
 (2020)[3]
 • Total
2,531
 • Density477.8/sq mi (184.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP Code
95076
Area code831
GNIS feature ID2583053
U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: La Selva Beach, California

La Selva Beach (La Selva, Spanish for "The Forest") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California, United States.[2] La Selva Beach sits at an elevation of 151 feet (46 m).[2] The 2020 United States census reported La Selva Beach's population was 2,531.

La Selva Beach is one of the several small communities located in and around Aptos. It neighbors Seascape to the north, Corralitos to the east, and Watsonville to the south. When founded, the small beach community was surrounded by dense conifer woods.

Geography

La Selva Beach lies near the San Andreas Fault, and was close to the epicenter of the October 17, 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of 5.3 square miles (13.7 km2), all land.

History

In 1925 it was founded as Rob Roy by real estate developer David Batchelor. The now-defunct (since 2000) Rob Roy Video Store was the only business in the area to make note of this heritage. In 1935 the name was changed to La Selva Beach by the new developer, Edward Burghard. Most of the existing houses were built in the early 1960s. In the 1970s the residents convinced state government to remove "Beach" from the direction signs.[4] Officially the name is still La Selva Beach.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
20102,843—
20202,531−11.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[5][6]
1860–1870[7][8] 1880-1890[9]
1900[10] 1910[11] 1920[12]
1930[13] 1940[14] 1950[15]
1960[16][17] 1970[18] 1980[19]
1990[20] 2000[21] 2010[22]
2020

La Selva Beach first appeared as a census designated place in the 2010 U.S. census.[22]

Racial and ethnic composition

La Selva Beach CDP, California – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2010[23] Pop 2020[24] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 2,226 1,899 78.30% 75.03%
Black or African American alone (NH) 21 9 0.74% 0.36%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 18 6 0.63% 0.24%
Asian alone (NH) 111 88 3.90% 3.48%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) 3 0 0.11% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 7 3 0.25% 0.12%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 85 137 2.99% 5.41%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 372 389 13.08% 15.37%
Total 2,843 2,531 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, La Selva Beach had a population of 2,531 and a population density of 477.8 inhabitants per square mile (184.5/km2).[25][26]

The age distribution was 16.0% under the age of 18, 5.2% aged 18 to 24, 19.8% aged 25 to 44, 28.8% aged 45 to 64, and 30.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males age 18 and over.[25]

There were 1,047 households, of which 22.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 53.3% were married-couple households, 6.9% were cohabiting couple households, 15.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41. There were 714 families (68.2% of all households).[25]

There were 1,393 housing units at an average density of 263.0 units per square mile (101.5 units/km2), of which 1,047 (75.2%) were occupied. Of occupied units, 70.0% were owner-occupied and 30.0% were occupied by renters. Of all housing units, 24.8% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.7%, and the rental vacancy rate was 17.0%.[25]

The census reported that 99.5% of the population lived in households, 0.5% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.0% were institutionalized. 75.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 24.7% lived in rural areas.[25][27]

Income and poverty

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income in 2023 was $159,094, and the per capita income was $77,290.[28]

Parks and recreation

La Selva Beach is adjacent to Manresa State Beach where one can fish, surf, and boogie board. These breaks are not as popular as others in Santa Cruz County.

The central park of La Selva Beach is Triangle Park. The park is triangular in form and enhanced by a triangular structure with the flags of the world. There is also a horseshoe pit.

In the summer, one can witness children practicing their baton-twirling/hurling skills and building floats, while their parents practice library push-cart choreography in preparation for the La Selva Beach 4th of July Parade. This parade is shorter but less known than the so-called "World's Shortest Parade" which takes place concurrently in Aptos, California.

Education

Rio del Mar Elementary school[29] and the Monterey Bay Academy are the nearest educational institutions. The Aptos Academy was a private school in the area from 1999 through June 2013.[30][31]

Notable residents

References

  1. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: La Selva Beach, California
  3. ↑ "Census Data: La Selva Beach (cdp)". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  4. ↑ La Selva Beach
  5. ↑ "Decennial Census by Decade". United States Census Bureau.
  6. ↑ Santa Cruz Public Libraries. "Population Statistics for Santa Cruz County and Cities, 1850-2000". Archived from the original on December 26, 2009. Retrieved May 24, 2009.
  7. ↑ "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑ "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 2, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ "1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 11, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  10. ↑ "1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  11. ↑ "1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 4, 2025. Retrieved February 4, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ "1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 28, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  13. ↑ "1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 17, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  14. ↑ "1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  15. ↑ "1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 19, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  16. ↑ "1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  17. ↑ "1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  18. ↑ "1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  19. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  20. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  21. ↑ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  22. 1 2 "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  23. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – La Selva Beach CDP, California". United States Census Bureau.
  24. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – La Selva Beach CDP, California". United States Census Bureau.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  26. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  27. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  28. ↑ "La Selva Beach CDP, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Welcom to Rio del Mar Elementary". School web site. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  30. ↑ Shanna McCord (June 13, 2013). "Aptos Academy closing its doors after 14 years". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  31. ↑ "The Aptos Academy: Where Futures are Created". Archived from the original on May 22, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
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