Scotts Valley, CA vs Santa Cruz, CA

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

MetricScotts Valley, CASanta Cruz, CA
Population12,04461,607
Median Household Income$143,750$115,475
Median Rent$2,491/mo$2,452/mo
Median Home Value$1,105,700$1,209,000
Cost of Living (US = 100)110110
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income46.5%51.3%
Poverty Rate5.9%17%
Unemployment Rate6.3% (county)4.7%
Violent Crime Rate /100k213533
Property Crime Rate /100k1,5942,529
Median AQI3535
Good AQI Days /yr320320
Summer Highs88°F75°F
Winter Lows38°F42°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute24.9 min22.8 min
Hospitals——
Avg Hospital Rating——
Students per Teacher24.520.4
College Degree Rate55.6%57.6%
Foreign-Born %12.8%13.1%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-4.7%-3.8%

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