Home Health and Personal Care Aide Salary in Santa Cruz, CA
Home Health and Personal Care Aides in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn a median $34,320 a year — 4% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $28,948 take-home, or $2,412 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median home health and personal care aide salary in Santa Cruz, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,938
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,128
- Medicare (1.45%)$498
- California income tax$362
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$446
- Take-home pay$28,948
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Home Health and Personal Care Aide pay by experience in Santa Cruz, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,320 | $16.50 | $28,948 | $2,412 |
| 25th percentile | $34,320 | $16.50 | $28,948 | $2,412 |
| Median (50th) | $34,320 | $16.50 | $28,948 | $2,412 |
| 75th percentile | $40,650 | $19.54 | $33,698 | $2,808 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,560 | $21.90 | $37,383 | $3,115 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $34,320 buys in Santa Cruz, CA
Prices in Santa Cruz, CA are 9.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.64× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median home health and personal care aide's $28,948 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,341 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Santa Cruz, CA has 1.6× the national concentration of home health and personal care aide jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for home health and personal care aides, adjusted for cost of living
Santa Cruz, CA ranks #146 of 180 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grants Pass, OR | $53,120 | $41,044 | $41,984 |
| 2 | Kennewick, WA | $47,810 | $40,595 | $40,563 |
| 3 | Spokane, WA | $47,410 | $40,274 | $40,135 |
| 4 | Yakima, WA | $44,490 | $37,928 | $39,696 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $48,210 | $40,917 | $36,818 |
| 6 | Bellingham, WA | $44,080 | $37,598 | $36,385 |
| 7 | Olympia, WA | $44,060 | $37,582 | $36,252 |
| 8 | Fargo, ND | $37,910 | $32,641 | $35,920 |
| 146 | Santa Cruz, CA | $34,320 | $28,948 | $26,341 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 180 metros →
About the job: home health and personal care aides
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +18.1% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Home Health and Personal Care Aide salaries elsewhere in California
- El Centro, CA — $34,320
- Merced, CA — $34,320
- Visalia, CA — $34,320
- Redding, CA — $34,320
- Bakersfield, CA — $34,320
- Santa Rosa, CA — $36,850
- Chico, CA — $34,320
- Hanford, CA — $34,320
Frequently asked questions
How much does a home health and personal care aide make in Santa Cruz, CA?
The median home health and personal care aide salary in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $34,320 a year, or about $16.50 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $34,320 and $40,650.
What is a home health and personal care aide’s take-home pay in Santa Cruz, CA?
On the median $34,320 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $28,948 a year ($2,412 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $808 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Santa Cruz, CA a good place to work as a home health and personal care aide?
Pay here is 4% below the national median of $35,800. Local prices are 9.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,341 would in a typical U.S. city. Santa Cruz, CA ranks #146 of 180 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a home health and personal care aide afford rent in Santa Cruz, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Santa Cruz, CA is $3,298 a month ($4,214 for two bedrooms) — 137% of a median home health and personal care aide’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.