Santa Cruz, CA vs Los Gatos, CA

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

MetricSanta Cruz, CALos Gatos, CA
Population61,60732,786
Median Household Income$115,475$217,554
Median Rent$2,452/mo$3,247/mo
Median Home Value$1,209,000$2,000,000+
Cost of Living (US = 100)110110
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income51.3%39.4%
Poverty Rate17%4.2%
Unemployment Rate4.7%4.6%
Violent Crime Rate /100k53398
Property Crime Rate /100k2,5291,279
Median AQI3547
Good AQI Days /yr320201
Summer Highs75°F84°F
Winter Lows42°F40°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute22.8 min27.6 min
Hospitals——
Avg Hospital Rating——
Students per Teacher20.421
College Degree Rate57.6%75%
Foreign-Born %13.1%28.4%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-3.8%-2.9%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.
The Census tops out at $2,000,000+ for home value; it doesn't publish exact figures above that. Two capped values can't be compared, so neither is marked better.