Live Oak, CA vs Scotts Valley, CA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricLive Oak, CAScotts Valley, CA
Population16,91112,044
Median Household Income$103,674$143,750
Median Rent$2,421/mo$2,491/mo
Median Home Value$1,015,200$1,105,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)110110
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income52.9%46.5%
Poverty Rate12.9%5.9%
Unemployment Rate6.3% (county)6.3% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k174*213
Property Crime Rate /100k690*1,594
Median AQI3535
Good AQI Days /yr320320
Summer Highs75°F88°F
Winter Lows42°F38°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute21.9 min24.9 min
Hospitals3—
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher22.524.5
College Degree Rate40.8%55.6%
Foreign-Born %15.4%12.8%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+0.2%-4.7%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.
* Rate of the agency that polices Live Oak (the city has no police department of its own), so it isn’t scored.