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Living in
Santa Cruz.
About
Life in Santa Cruz
If you're considering Santa Cruz, know that you're looking at a college-influenced beach town with real character—not just a tourist destination. The economy runs on education (UC Santa Cruz), tech startups, organic farming, and yes, tourism, but the Boardwalk is just one piece of daily life here. The weather is genuinely pleasant year-round with mild winters and warm summers, though expect fog rolling in most mornings, especially June through August.
Santa Cruz at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
31.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.0%
Foreign-Born
13.1%
Broadband Internet
95.5%
of households
Population Growth
-3.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Santa Cruz: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Santa Cruz, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (26.9%), and 15.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
11.2%
of residents
65 and Older
15.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.9%
of households
Married Couples
37.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.33
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 20% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Santa Cruz
In Santa Cruz, rent runs 20% above the CA average, and home values are 65% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
109.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,768
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
48.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1970
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,338,649 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Santa Cruz
Unemployment in Santa Cruz is 0.8 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Santa Cruz Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.8 min avg
How Santa Cruz residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Santa Cruz, most residents drive alone to work (51%), and 72% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 27 mi
Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Medium hub5.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 48 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 62% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Santa Cruz runs 62% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
533
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,529.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Santa Cruz Police Department
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 14 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Santa Cruz County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Santa Cruz County, which includes Santa Cruz, the most common type is strong wind, with 14 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 17 | Flood | $120 |
| 2023 | 16 | High Wind | $70 |
| 2022 | 12 | Strong Wind | $9.5M |
| 2021 | 29 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 21 | Strong Wind | $40,000 |
| 2019 | 50 | Strong Wind | $500 |
| 2018 | 20 | Strong Wind | $10,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
215 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Santa Cruz County, county-wide
Air Quality35 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Santa Cruz County, which includes Santa Cruz, is typically good — 320 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
35
Good Days
320
per year
Moderate Days
45
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Santa Cruz County, county-wide
Climate75°F summers, 42°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Santa Cruz has mild summers (avg high 75°F) and mild winters (avg low 42°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
69°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
75°/54°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
63°/42°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
30.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
6
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
6
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
65
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°F | 41°F | 6.42" |
| Feb | 64°F | 43°F | 6.10" |
| Mar | 67°F | 44°F | 4.31" |
| Apr | 69°F | 46°F | 2.04" |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 0.87" |
| Jun | 74°F | 52°F | 0.24" |
| Jul | 74°F | 54°F | 0.01" |
| Aug | 76°F | 55°F | 0.04" |
| Sep | 77°F | 53°F | 0.10" |
| Oct | 74°F | 50°F | 1.32" |
| Nov | 67°F | 44°F | 3.17" |
| Dec | 62°F | 41°F | 6.01" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Santa Cruz
Uninsured
3.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Santa Cruz's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Santa Cruz County Psychiatric Health Facility
Psychiatric · 2.4 mi away · Santa Cruz
Dominican Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3 mi away · Santa Cruz
Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center of Santa Cruz
Acute Care Hospitals · 3.3 mi away · Santa Cruz
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education20.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz's student/teacher ratio is 20.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 57.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
17
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
57.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz
Public · 4-year · 17,940 students · in-state tuition $16,585 · 79% graduate · median earnings $73,362 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pinnacles National Park, 58 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pinnacles National Park (58 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pinnacles National Park
National Park
58 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
59 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
62 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
62 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
63 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
63 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
67 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
69 mi awayPublic Libraries in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz County Law Library
701 Ocean St, Room 070, Santa Cruz
Branciforte Branch Library
230 Gault St., Santa Cruz
Central Branch Library
224 Church St., Santa Cruz
Garfield Park Branch Library
705 Woodrow Ave., Santa Cruz
Cities Near Santa Cruz
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Santa Cruz?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Santa Cruz FAQ
Is Santa Cruz, California affordable?⌄
Santa Cruz's median rent is $2,452/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $115,475/year. Median home value is $1,209,000.
Is Santa Cruz, California safe?⌄
Santa Cruz's violent crime rate was 533 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2529 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Santa Cruz, California?⌄
Santa Cruz has an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Santa Cruz, California?⌄
The cost of living in Santa Cruz is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,452/month and median household income is $115,475/year. The median home value is $1,209,000. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Santa Cruz, California?⌄
The average commute in Santa Cruz is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from