Capitola is a small seaside city in
Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County (), officially the County of Santa Cruz, is a county on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 270,861. The county seat is Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz County comprises the Sa ...
. Capitola is located on the northern shores of
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean located on the coast of the U.S. state of California, south of the San Francisco Bay Area. San Francisco itself is further north along the coast, by about 75 miles (120 km), accessible via California S ...
, on the
Central Coast of California. The city had a population of 9,456 at the 2024 census, the same year it became known as The New Midtown. Capitola is a popular tourist destination, owing to its beaches and restaurants.
History
The original settlement now known as Capitola grew out of what was then called Soquel Landing. Soquel Landing got its name from a wharf located at the mouth of Soquel Creek. This wharf, which dates back to the 1850s, served as an outlet for the produce and lumber grown in the interior. In 1865, Captain John Pope Davenport, a whaleman at Monterey, moved his operations to be near the wharf. Unable to capture any whales, he moved his operations the following year to Point Año Nuevo.
In 1869,
Frederick A. Hihn, who owned the property in the vicinity of the wharf, decided to develop it as a seaside resort. At first he leased the area to Samuel A. Hall and the area became known as Camp Capitola. Most authorities believe that it was Hihn who chose the name of Capitola, but they are unsure as to why he did so. Several possibilities have been asserted, one being that it was named for the heroine of ''
The Hidden Hand'', a novel by the popular author
E. D. E. N. Southworth, favored by Hall's daughter Lulu. Capitola is known as the oldest beach resort on the
West Coast.
In the summer of 1961 hundreds of birds attacked the town. Most of the birds were
sooty shearwater
The sooty shearwater (''Ardenna grisea'') is a medium-large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. In New Zealand, it is also known by its Māori language, Māori name , and is harvested by Māori people for muttonbirding, muttonbird, l ...
s, a normally non-aggressive species that rarely comes to shore.
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...
was a regular visitor to nearby Santa Cruz and read about this episode. He went on to direct a film—''
The Birds''—based on the idea of hundreds of birds attacking humans. The reason for this attack remained unknown for over 25 years until it was discovered that the birds had been affected by
domoic acid
Domoic acid (DA) is a kainic acid-type neurotoxin that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). It is produced by algae and accumulates in shellfish, sardines, and anchovies. When sea lions, otters, cetaceans, humans, and other predators eat cont ...
, a toxin produced by red algae.
The Capitola Classic was a
skateboarding
Skateboarding is an extreme sport, action sport that involves riding and Skateboarding trick, performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry Profession, job, and a method of tr ...
event held in Capitola village in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The Capitola Classic was known in skating circles for its annual downhill race, which was a head-to-head speed competition that drew top names in the sport, many local as well as international, including
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz (Spanish language, Spanish for "Holy Cross") is the largest city and the county seat of Santa Cruz County, California, Santa Cruz County, in Northern California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city population ...
local John Hutson, who held the world speed record for skateboarding at 53.45 mph and dominated the event each year.
Starting in 2009 efforts were made to revive the event.
On March 24, 2011, a drainage pipe burst following heavy rains, sending a surge of water through the historic village area.
Two days later cleanup operations were interrupted when the area was flooded again.
Geography
Capitola Village is located at the beach by the mouth of
Soquel Creek.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (4.92%) is water.
Capitola sits on the northeast shore of
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean located on the coast of the U.S. state of California, south of the San Francisco Bay Area. San Francisco itself is further north along the coast, by about 75 miles (120 km), accessible via California S ...
. Cliffs mark access to several popular beaches, including New Brighton Beach, or drop directly to the rocky shoreline of the bay. Capitola Village sits in a depression among the cliffs so that the popular tourist and shopping area leads directly to Capitola Beach. Colorful houses and hotels line the slopes of the town leading back up to the clifftops.
The
Venetian Court sits on the beach just east of the pier and is on the Register of National Historic Places as "The first Condominium Beach Community in the United States, built in 1924".
Climate
Capitola has mild weather throughout the year, enjoying a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) characterized by cool, wet winters and warm, mostly dry summers. Due to its proximity to
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean located on the coast of the U.S. state of California, south of the San Francisco Bay Area. San Francisco itself is further north along the coast, by about 75 miles (120 km), accessible via California S ...
, fog and low overcast are common during the night and morning hours, especially in the summer.
Demographics
2020

The
2020 United States census reported that Capitola had a population of 9,938. The population density was . The racial makeup of Capitola was 69.1%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 1.1%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 1.0%
Native American, 5.0%
Asian, 0.2%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 9.9% from
other races, and 13.7% from two or more races.
Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.4% of the population.
The census reported that 98.1% of the population lived in households, 1.0% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.9% were institutionalized.
[
There were 4,624 households, out of which 21.2% included children under the age of 18, 35.3% were married-couple households, 8.7% were ]cohabiting
Cohabitation is an arrangement where people who are not legally married live together as a couple. They are often involved in a romantic or sexually intimate relationship on a long-term or permanent basis. Such arrangements have become incr ...
couple households, 35.9% had a female householder with no partner present, and 20.1% had a male householder with no partner present. 37.1% of households were one person, and 18.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.11.[ There were 2,409 ]families
Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...
(52.1% of all households).
The age distribution was 14.5% under the age of 18, 7.0% aged 18 to 24, 26.6% aged 25 to 44, 28.0% aged 45 to 64, and 23.9% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 46.8years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males.[
There were 5,485 housing units at an average density of , of which 4,624 (84.3%) were occupied. Of these, 48.1% were owner-occupied, and 51.9% were occupied by renters.][
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $96,412, and the ]per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
was $60,609. About 10.9% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line.
2010
2010 United States Census reported that Capitola had a population of 9,918. The population density was . The racial makeup of Capitola was 7,963 (80.3%) White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 123 (1.2%) African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 59 (0.6%) Native American, 424 (4.3%) Asian, 10 (0.1%) Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 869 (8.8%) from other races, and 470 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 1,957 persons (19.7%).
The Census reported that 9,770 people (98.5% of the population) lived in households, 25 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 123 (1.2%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,626 households, out of which 1,011 (21.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,515 (32.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 539 (11.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 232 (5.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 339 (7.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 55 (1.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,735 households (37.5%) were made up of individuals, and 608 (13.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11. There were 2,286 families
Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...
(49.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.78.
The population was spread out, with 1,643 people (16.6%) under the age of 18, 930 people (9.4%) aged 18 to 24, 2,801 people (28.2%) aged 25 to 44, 3,005 people (30.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,539 people (15.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
There were 5,534 housing units at an average density of , of which 2,152 (46.5%) were owner-occupied, and 2,474 (53.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.8%. 4,430 people (44.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,340 people (53.8%) lived in rental housing units.
Economy
Capitola Village and Esplanade is the heart of the Capitola Retail and Tourism Hub being a draw for tourist and locals alike with a variety of boutiques and restaurants. Forty-first Avenue is the retail and business corridor for a majority of larger national and regional business serving the community as a whole. The Capitola Mall, the only enclosed regional shopping center in Santa Cruz County is slated for redevelopment into a mixed use project with increasing pressure due to the failure of the traditional mall concept.
Top employers
According to Capitola's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the principal employers in the city are:
Government
Capitola is administered by a City Council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
which is made up of a Mayor, Vice-Mayor and three Councilmembers. The seats are rotated by the council annually, the current Mayor is Yvette Brooks.
In the California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of California, consisting of the California State Assembly (lower house with 80 members) and the California State Senate (upper house with 40 members). ...
, Capitola is in , and in .
In the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
, Capitola is in the .
Infrastructure
The city has its own police department and receives fire and medical services from the Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County.
Notable people
* Harry Hooper (18871974), major-league baseball player, was the postmaster in Capitola for 24 years after he retired from baseball
* Ralph Peduto (1942–2014), actor and playwright
*Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian (born August 25, 1966) is an American keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, and Joe Bonamassa, among others. He was also a member of Dream Theater from 1994 to 1999, is the founder of Planet X (ban ...
(born 1966), rock keyboardist
A keyboardist or keyboard player is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instru ...
(Alice Cooper
Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...
, KISS
A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...
, Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 in Boston, Massachusetts. The band comprises John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), Mike Portnoy (drums), James LaBrie (vocals) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards).
Dream Theat ...
, Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Idol achieved fame in the 1970s on the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of Generation X ...
), went to Capitola Elementary and Capitola Junior High School. His mother and sister still reside and own a dress store in Capitola Village.
* Skip Spence (1946–1999), the founding member of Moby Grape
Moby Grape is an American rock band founded in 1966. Part of San Francisco's psychedelic music scene, the band merged elements of rock and roll, folk music, pop, blues, and country. They were one of the few groups of which all members were lea ...
and former member of The Jefferson Airplane, resided in Capitola during the latter years of his life
* Robert Anton Wilson
Robert Anton Wilson (born Robert Edward Wilson; January 18, 1932 – January 11, 2007) was an American writer, futurist, psychologist, and self-described agnostic mystic. Recognized within Discordianism as an Episkopos, pope and saint, Wilson ...
(1932–2007), author and philosopher
See also
* St. John the Baptist Church (Capitola, California)
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Cities in Santa Cruz County, California
Incorporated cities and towns in California
Populated coastal places in California