In Santa Cruz, California, the median home price is $1,162,058, compared with the California median of $860,133; median household income is $111,093; the population is 264,926; schools rate 5.2 out of 10; the violent crime rate is 319.6 per 100k; and the average commute is 25.7 minutes. Sources: Zillow Research and the US Census Bureau.
Data updated June 2026 - Source: Zillow Research
Santa Cruz at a glance
Population
264,926
Median Household Income
$111,093
Typical Home Value
$1,162,058
School District Rating
5.2
Violent Crime Rate
319.6
Avg Commute Time
25.7
About Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz has a population of 264,926. The median home value is $1,162,058, 35% above the California median. Median household income is $111,093 (12% above the California median). The most populated towns are Santa Cruz, Watsonville, and San Lorenzo Valley.
Data comes from public sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Center for Education Statistics, the FBI, the EPA, Zillow, and Redfin. Source attribution is shown on each metric.
Towns in Santa Cruz
5 towns, by population.
County rankings in California
Every county in California, ranked on one decision metric at a time.
- 01Cheapest home pricesCheapest Counties to Buy a House in California
- 02Lowest monthly housing paymentCounties With the Lowest Monthly Housing Payment in California
- 03Lowest property taxLowest Property Taxes in California by County
- 04Cheapest homeowners insuranceCounties With the Cheapest Homeowners Insurance in California
- 05Cheapest childcare costCounties With the Cheapest Childcare in California
- 06Lowest natural disaster riskLowest Natural Disaster Risk Counties in California
- 07Lowest flood riskLowest Flood Risk Counties in California
- 08Lowest wildfire riskLowest Wildfire Risk Counties in California
- 09Safest countiesSafest Counties (Lowest Violent Crime) in California
- 10Best school ratingsCalifornia School Rankings by County
- 11Highest household incomeCounties With the Highest Household Income in California
- 12Shortest commute timeCounties With the Shortest Commute in California
- 13Fastest-selling homesCounties Where Homes Sell Fastest in California
Santa Cruz at a glance: frequently asked questions
- What is the population of Santa Cruz?
- Santa Cruz has a population of 264,926 based on the most recent US Census estimate.
- What is the median home price in Santa Cruz?
- The median home value in Santa Cruz is $1,162,058. Open the interactive map to see the distribution town by town.
- What is the median household income in Santa Cruz?
- Median household income in Santa Cruz is $111,093 per year, sourced from the US Census American Community Survey.
- What state is Santa Cruz in?
- Santa Cruz is in California.
- How many towns are in Santa Cruz?
- Santa Cruz contains 5 towns and municipalities. Click any town below or on the map to see its housing, school, and crime data.
Compare Santa Cruz with other places
Put up to four states, counties, towns, or ZIPs side by side on income, housing, crime, education, and more.
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