Santa Cruz, CA vs Scotts Valley, CA

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

MetricSanta Cruz, CAScotts Valley, CA
Population61,60712,044
Median Household Income$115,475$143,750
Median Rent$2,452/mo$2,491/mo
Median Home Value$1,209,000$1,105,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)110110
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income51.3%46.5%
Poverty Rate17%5.9%
Unemployment Rate4.7%6.3% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k533213
Property Crime Rate /100k2,5291,594
Median AQI3535
Good AQI Days /yr320320
Summer Highs75°F88°F
Winter Lows42°F38°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute22.8 min24.9 min
Hospitals——
Avg Hospital Rating——
Students per Teacher20.424.5
College Degree Rate57.6%55.6%
Foreign-Born %13.1%12.8%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-3.8%-4.7%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.