Skip to Main Content
Write a review
Santa Cruz
  • Town in California
profile header© Mapbox / © OpenStreetMap
Town

Santa Cruz

#2 in Best Places to Live in Santa Cruz County
    A minus
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?Data Sources
    1. Public Schools
      A
    2. Crime & Safety
      C minus
    3. Housing
      C minus
    4. Nightlife
      A+
    5. Good for Families
      B+
    6. Diversity
      A
    7. Jobs
      B minus
    8. Weather
      A+
    9. Cost of Living
      D+
    10. Health & Fitness
      A+
    11. Outdoor Activities
      A
    12. Commute
      A
    Santa Cruz is a town in California with a population of 62,714. Santa Cruz is in Santa Cruz County and is one of the best places to live in California. Living in Santa Cruz offers residents an urban suburban mix feel and most residents rent their homes. In Santa Cruz there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals live in Santa Cruz and residents tend to lean liberal. The public schools in Santa Cruz are highly rated.
    Population
    62,714
    View Nearby Homes

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $933,000
    National
    $244,900
    Median Rent
    $2,072
    National
    $1,163
    Area Feel
    Urban Suburban Mix
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      54%
    • Own
      46%
    Sponsored Mortgage Options for Santa Cruz
    Get Rates
    • Find a loan that's right for you. Compare today's top mortgage and refinancing providers.
    • Get approval in minutes. Checking rates won't affect your credit score.
    Niche may be compensated by the third party lenders and others who place ads on the website. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. Fees that Niche receives for ads do not affect the terms you may be offered by the lender you choose. There are many additional borrowing options available.
    Explore Santa Cruz Real Estate
    Listings by Homes.com
    View Nearby Homes

    Santa Cruz Rankings

    Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and expert insights.

    See All Santa Cruz Rankings

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    C minus
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    • Assault
      304.3
      282.7
    • Murder
      3.1
      6.1
    • Rape
      50.7
      40.7
    • Robbery
      116.8
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    • Burglary
      410.3
      500.1
    • Theft
      2,664.7
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      362.7
      284

    Residents

    Diversity
    A
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Age
    • <10 years
      6%
    • 10-17 years
      6%
    • 18-24 years
      32%
    • 25-34 years
      13%
    • 35-44 years
      10%
    • 45-54 years
      11%
    • 55-64 years
      10%
    • 65+ years
      12%
    Education Levels
    • Master's degree or higher
      28%
      13%
    • Bachelor's degree
      28%
      21%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      28%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      11%
      26%
    • Less than high school diploma
      4%
      11%
    More About Santa Cruz Residents

    Working in Santa Cruz

    Jobs
    B minus
    Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
    Median Household Income
    $96,217
    National
    $69,021
    Search for Jobs in Santa Cruz

    Places to Work in Santa Cruz

    See All 7 Places to Work in Santa Cruz 

    Top Public Schools Serving Santa Cruz

    See All 24 Public Schools in Santa Cruz 

    Places like Santa Cruz

    Santa Cruz Reviews

    No reviews yet

    Take our survey to add your review

    Review Santa Cruz