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Santa Cruz is tops for 'rich singles' CNN and Money Magazine have named Santa Cruz one of the top 25 American cities for the rich and single, citing surfing, hiking and Shakespeare Santa Cruz as some of the prime attractions for the monied set.
Santa Cruz joins such towns as Milpitas, Sunnyvale and Oak Park, Ill., on the list in attracting individuals with wealth to spend. "CNN.com and Money Magazine are touting just a few of the things that make us appealing as a destination, whether it be visitors or the unattached looking for romance," said Christina Glynn, spokeswoman for Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council. According to money.CNN.com, the average family income is $91,162 in Santa Cruz County, and singles make up 45 percent of the population. Santa Cruz's technology scene helps keep salaries up, the story said. But a search Monday for wealthy bachelors and bachelorettes had some on Pacific Avenue wondering what really defines "rich" and "single," considering the county's high cost of living and proclivity of couples to live together without getting hitched. "I can afford to live here, that's something," said Katy Oursler, director of Outstanding in the Field, which travels the country assembling farm feasts featuring produce and chefs from each stop. Oursler observed that in Santa Cruz it is hip to be poor, so many people won't admit to having money, even if they do. Young farming or culinary students often are independently wealthy, Oursler said, because the professions typically pay so little that others can't afford to go into them. But community gardener Karsten Wade of Santa Cruz said he is "poor and married," and most of his friends are, too. He wondered if Santa Cruz's "rich singles" are exaggerated or if they actually exist, especially the men. "We know more great women who are single than great men," Wade said. J-P Correa, co-owner of Vinocruz off Cooper Street, said wealthy singles really do live in Santa Cruz, and he sees many of the women on Friday nights when groups of girlfriends sip wine there after working in Silicon Valley all week. "A lot of women into the arts are looking for men with a cultural bent," and that makes Santa Cruz attractive, said Correa. In addition, he said, many wealthy and unattached residents live here to be closer to outdoor hobbies, like sailing, kite surfing and cycling. Jeremy Neuner, the city's former economic development director who now is CEO of NextSpace Coworking + Innovation, was ridiculed a few years ago when he said it was time for Santa Cruz to become "young and rich." However, Neuner said, the CNN/Money Magazine list "is just one little piece of evidence that shows we're on that path" -- even if residents won't admit it. |
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