Watsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The population was 44,265 at the 2000 census while the population estimate is 50,442 as of 2008. Watsonville is a small farming community on the central coast of California.. The population is the home to people of varied ethnic backgrounds. There is a large Hispanic population, small Yugoslavian group, Phillipino, Caucasian, and Japanese population of people that live and work in Watsonville. The economy centers predominantly around the farming industry. The city is known for growing strawberries, apples, lettuce and a host of other vegetables. The Pajaro Valley has a climate that is usually pleasant year round, about 60 to 70 degrees throughout the year which makes Watsonville an attractive coastal environment for the neighboring inland communities which host very hot summers. The Pajaro Valley Unified School District has an attendance of about 18,000 students kindergarten through 12th grades. There are several private religious based schools in Watsonville like Notre Dame School, Monte Vista Christian and Mt. Madonna School. These schools are also K through 12 and provide an educational option for non-public school families. Watsonville is generally conservative on the political spectrum and average in relationship to the neighboring communities of Salinas, Castroville, and Prunedale. The larger coastal town directly North of Watsonville is the city of Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is a draw for many young college students who attend Cabrillo Community College or UCSC. Because Watsonville and Santa Cruz are beach towns, it draws many visitors from San Jose and from the inland Valley areas. Like neighboring Salinas in Monterey County, Watsonville produces a variety of fruits and vegetables, primarily apples, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and table mushrooms.