Santa Cruz, CA Housing Market & City Data

Explore key insights and real experiences from people who call Santa Cruz home. Use the data below as a starting point to compare and discover what makes this city a great place to live.

5.0
Average City Rating
64,608
Population Estimate
$852,600
Median Home Value
92.3%
Employment Rate
53.8%
Bachelor's Degree+

Santa Cruz City Reviews

Real experiences from people who call Santa Cruz home.

5.0
(2 Reviews)

Paul Burrowes

With a population of 62,714 residents, Santa Cruz, California is a coastal community that has a distinct blend of lifestyles and neighborhoods. Situated along the beautiful Monterey Bay, this city boasts beautiful houses on the beach with ocean views. On top of cliffs and hills in Santa Cruz there are luxury homes that give people a taste of what life should be like for them by providing uninterrupted scenes as water crashes into land and irregular coastline creates great backdrops. With trendy eateries, cool shops, and an exciting music and art centre that caters to bohemian youths; Santa Cruz's downtown is always alive with activity. The eastern and western sides further from the town center contain comfy family homes some of which have ocean views and easy reach beaches. Santa Cruz would not be complete without mentioning UCSC campus whose students bring fresh energy by and stimulate cultural development in many ways. Santa Cruz offers something for everyone "“ whether you love luxury homes by the coastlines, want to live downtown among all sorts of interesting characters, need great places to raise your kids in suburbs or prefer living close to an educational institution where learning never stops. More about Santa Cruz: https://www.burrowes.com/santa-cruz/

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Megan Kilmer

Santa Cruz is lovely! You have beaches, charm, and redwood mountains. There is a saying "Keep Santa Cruz Weird" and "Beware of Locals" but don't be fooled! Folks here are genuine and full of spunk. You will enjoy walking Downtown, seeing local art, and touring the craft beer circuit for sure. Santa Cruz is family and dog friendly - all around a great place to be!

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Housing & Demographic Overview

Key insights about the community

Data as of September 2026

HOUSING DATA (September 2026)

Median Price per SqFt$818
Median Listing Price$1,424,500
Median Days on Market30
Active Listings128
New Listings66
Total Listings (Active + Pending)170
Avg Listing Price$2,030,701
Avg Listing Price Change MoM-4%
Avg Listing Price Change YoY-14%

HOUSEHOLD OVERVIEW

Family Size2.93
Family Dual Income53.1
Median Household Income$77,921
Median Individual Income$26,231
Home Ownership47.0%
Home Value$852,600
Median Rent$1,889
Rent Burden47.8%
Poverty20.9%

EDUCATION, GENDER & MARITAL STATUS

EDUCATION

  • No Highschool Degree or GED6.1%
  • Highschool Education12.4%
  • Some College27.7%
  • Bachelors Degree28.0%
  • Graduate Degree25.8%
  • Total College or Above53.8%
  • Stem Degree56.0%

GENDER BREAKDOWN

  • Male49.2%
  • Female50.8%

MARITAL STATUS

  • Married30.5%
  • Divorced10.3%
  • Never Married56.3%
  • Widowed2.8%

CITY DATA & AGE BREAKDOWN

CITY DATA

CitySanta Cruz
State IDCA
Population64,608

AGE BREAKDOWN

Age Group% of Population
Under 1824.4%
19–2927.3%
30–3910.1%
40–4910.4%
Age Group% of Population
50–5910.4%
60–699.7%
70–795.4%
80+2.2%

WORKFORCE, ETHNICITY & OTHER

WORKFORCE

Labor Force Participation62.5%
Unemployment Rate7.7%
Disabled9.8%

ETHNICITY

White73.9%
Black2.1%
Asian10.1%
Native American0.4%
Pacific Islander0.2%
Other6.9%
Multiple6.3%

OTHER

Hispanic21.0%
Limited English2.7%
Health Uninsured4.7%
Veteran3.9%

Local Discussions

Community questions and conversations about living in Santa Cruz, CA.

  1. Is Santa Cruz, CA a good place to buy a house?

    Local perspectives on Santa Cruz home prices, buyer demand, neighborhoods, and what to consider before buying a home.

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  2. What are the best neighborhoods in Santa Cruz, CA for families?

    Local insights on Santa Cruz neighborhoods, schools, parks, commute times, and other factors families may want to consider.

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  3. What should home buyers know about the Santa Cruz, CA housing market?

    Local insights on Santa Cruz home prices, housing inventory, buyer competition, and current real estate market conditions.

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  4. Is it better to buy or rent a home in Santa Cruz, CA?

    Compare Santa Cruz home prices, rents, monthly housing costs, and other factors that can affect the decision to buy or rent.

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  5. What are the most affordable neighborhoods in Santa Cruz, CA?

    Explore Santa Cruz neighborhoods where home buyers may find more affordable housing options and better value for their budget.

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  6. How much income do you need to buy a house in Santa Cruz, CA?

    Learn how Santa Cruz home prices, down payments, mortgage costs, and other expenses can affect how much income buyers may need.

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  7. How much are property taxes on a home in Santa Cruz, CA?

    Learn how Santa Cruz property taxes are calculated and how they can affect the overall cost of owning a home.

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  8. What are the best neighborhoods in Santa Cruz, CA for first-time home buyers?

    Explore Santa Cruz neighborhoods first-time home buyers may consider based on home prices, location, amenities, and lifestyle.

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  9. What is it like to live in Santa Cruz, CA?

    Local perspectives on Santa Cruz neighborhoods, cost of living, weather, commuting, things to do, and everyday life.

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  10. What should I know before moving to Santa Cruz, CA?

    What newcomers should know about Santa Cruz housing costs, neighborhoods, transportation, weather, and everyday expenses.

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Top Real Estate Agents in Santa Cruz, CA

Neighborhoods in Santa Cruz, CA

Get to know neighborhoods in Santa Cruz, ordered by the number of properties in the provider sample.

  • Pleasure Point

    Pleasure Point ↗

    Median asking price
    $1,487,000
    / sq ft
    —
    Active listings
    Not available
    properties in discovery sample
    109
    B

    Nearby schools · estimated

    6.8/10 · 5 schools

  • Seabright

    Seabright ↗

    Median asking price
    $1,160,000
    / sq ft
    $766
    Active listings
    9
    properties in discovery sample
    94
    —

    Nearby schools · estimated

    Ratings not available

  • Prospect Heights

    Prospect Heights ↗

    Median asking price
    $1,149,500
    / sq ft
    $712
    Active listings
    3
    properties in discovery sample
    39
    —

    Nearby schools · estimated

    Ratings not available

  • Roundtree Condominiums

    Roundtree ↗

    Median asking price
    $580,000
    / sq ft
    —
    Active listings
    Not available
    properties in discovery sample
    22
    B

    Nearby schools · estimated

    7/10 · 5 schools

  • Pasatiempo

    Pasatiempo ↗

    Median asking price
    $1,187,000
    / sq ft
    —
    Active listings
    Not available
    properties in discovery sample
    5
    B

    Nearby schools · estimated

    7/10 · 9 schools

Data as of . Listing snapshots from Redfin; nearby-school rating estimates.

About these neighborhood estimates

Prices and counts describe active listings returned by the provider, excluding coming-soon and nearby search results. They are asking prices, not sold prices, and may not include every home for sale.

Nearby-school grades are FastExpert estimates from the average available ratings of unique public schools returned for sampled neighborhood properties. A: 8–10; B: 6–under 8; C: 4–under 6; D: 2–under 4; F: 1–under 2. Unrated schools are excluded. Nearby schools may not be assigned to a specific address.

Photos show identified local landmarks. Five neighborhoods are shown, ordered by property count. Median asking price breaks a tie.