Freedom is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP) in Santa Cruz County,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, United States. The population was 3,835 at the 2020 census.

Toponymy

Originally known as Whiskey Hill, likely as a consequence of eleven saloons located there in 1852. In 1877, the residents voted to change the name to Freedom, most likely because many of the saloons had closed and the United States Centennial fervor of the prior year's celebration.

Geography

Freedom is located at (36.940452, -121.789376). 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 CDP has a total area of , all of it land. It is adjacent to and blends with the incorporated city of

Watsonville Watsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, in the Monterey Bay Area of the Central Coast of California. The population was 52,590 at the 2020 census. Predominantly Latino and Democratic, Watsonville is a self-designated sanctua ...

Demographics

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Freedom had a population of 3,835. The population density was . The racial makeup of Freedom was 30.4%

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 ...

, 0.5%

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 ...

, 2.1% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.0%

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 ...

, 47.3% from other races, and 17.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 76.1% of the population. The census reported that 99.9% of the population lived in households and 4 people (0.1%) were institutionalized. There were 1,007 households, out of which 50.4% included children under the age of 18, 53.3% were married-couple households, 9.7% 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, 23.4% had a female householder with no partner present, and 13.5% had a male householder with no partner present. 13.7% of households were one person, and 6.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.8. There were 810

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 ...

(80.4% of all households). The age distribution was 28.2% under the age of 18, 10.1% aged 18 to 24, 27.6% aged 25 to 44, 22.3% aged 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 33.5years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. There were 1,022 housing units at an average density of , of which 1,007 (98.5%) were occupied. Of these, 56.8% were owner-occupied, and 43.2% were occupied by renters. In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $139,722, 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 $39,276. About 4.1% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line.

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that Freedom had a population of 3,070. The population density was . The racial makeup of Freedom was 1,452 (47.3%)

, 44 (1.4%)

, 31 (1.0%) Native American, 100 (3.3%) Asian, 1,285 (41.9%) from other races, and 158 (5.1%) 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 2,170 persons (70.7%). The Census reported that 99.8% of the population lived in households and 0.2% were institutionalized. There were 776 households, out of which 394 (50.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 445 (57.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 124 (16.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 73 (9.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 63 (8.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 11 (1.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 102 households (13.1%) were made up of individuals, and 44 (5.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.95. There were 642

(82.7% of all households); the average family size was 4.12. The population was spread out, with 904 people (29.4%) under the age of 18, 347 people (11.3%) aged 18 to 24, 891 people (29.0%) aged 25 to 44, 655 people (21.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 273 people (8.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.7 males. There were 806 housing units at an average density of , of which 65.6% were owner-occupied and 34.4% were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.2%. 60.9% of the population lived in owner-occupied housing units and 38.9% lived in rental housing units.

Government

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). ...

, Freedom 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 ...

, Freedom is in .

References

External links

{{authority control Census-designated places in Santa Cruz County, California Census-designated places in California