Population
Santa Monica
91,535
Santa Cruz
60,953
Median Income
Santa Monica
$109,739
Santa Cruz
$111,427
Home Value
Santa Monica
$1,810,200
Santa Cruz
$1,180,100
Rent
Santa Monica
$2,338
Santa Cruz
$2,302
Crime Rate
Santa Monica
7.82
Santa Cruz
6.13
Cost of Living
Santa Monica
241.2
Santa Cruz
225.2
Avg Temp
Santa Monica
N/A
Santa Cruz
N/A
Unemployment
Santa Monica
6.1%
Santa Cruz
6.3%
How Similar Are Santa Monica & Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz is Santa Monica's #5 most similar city
4 of 10 key metrics match within 10%
Population
Santa Monica
91,535
Santa Cruz
60,953
Santa Monica has a 33% larger population than Santa Cruz.
Violent Crime
Santa Monica
7.82
Santa Cruz
6.13
Santa Monica has a 22% higher violent crime than Santa Cruz.
Property Crime
Santa Monica
47.90
Santa Cruz
25.15
Santa Monica has a 47% higher property crime than Santa Cruz.
Political Leaning
Santa Monica
31.9%
Santa Cruz
20.9%
Both cities lean Democratic, but Santa Monica has a stronger Democratic lean (35% difference).
Unemployment
Santa Monica
6.1%
Santa Cruz
6.3%
Both cities have similar unemployment — just a 4% difference.
Median Income
Santa Monica
$109,739
Santa Cruz
$111,427
Both cities have similar median income — just a 2% difference.
Home Values
Santa Monica
$1,810,200
Santa Cruz
$1,180,100
Santa Monica has a 35% higher home values than Santa Cruz.
Education
Santa Monica
55.4%
Santa Cruz
33.5%
Santa Monica has a 39% higher education than Santa Cruz.
Demographics
Santa Monica
66.9%
Santa Cruz
65.8%
Both cities have similar demographics — just a 2% difference.
Cost of Living
Santa Monica
241.2
Santa Cruz
225.2
Both cities have similar cost of living — just a 7% difference.
4 out of 10 key metrics match within 10%. Santa Monica and Santa Cruz share several key characteristics.
At a Glance
0
Santa Monica
0
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz leads in 4 of 8 categories
Cost of Living & Affordability — Santa Cruz leads
Source: City Stats Index / HUDSanta Cruz scores 117.6 on the transportation index (100 = national avg) vs 167.8 in Santa Monica. Santa Monica has a fair market rent (2br) of $2,601 vs $4,214 in Santa Cruz (38% lower). Santa Monica has a fair market rent (1br) of $2,085 vs $3,298 in Santa Cruz (37% lower).
Overall Cost Index
Housing Index
Food Index
Transportation Index
Healthcare Index
Utilities Index
Living Wage (1 Adult)
Living Wage (Family of 4)
Fair Market Rent (1BR)
Fair Market Rent (2BR)
Housing Market — Santa Cruz leads
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSSanta Cruz has a single-family homes of 65.5% compared to 22.6% in Santa Monica. Santa Monica has a median home value of $1,810,200 vs $1,180,100 in Santa Cruz (53% higher). Santa Cruz has a median property tax of $6,609 vs $10,001 in Santa Monica (51% lower).
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Property Tax
Owner-Occupied
Vacancy Rate
Single-Family Homes
Jobs & Economy — Santa Monica leads
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSSanta Monica has a work from home of 33.1% compared to 19.3% in Santa Cruz. Santa Monica has a per capita income of $90,657 vs $54,688 in Santa Cruz (66% higher). Santa Monica: 54,093 vs Santa Cruz: 33,751 for labor force.
Median Household Income
Per Capita Income
Poverty Rate
Unemployment Rate
Labor Force
Mean Commute
Work from Home
Private Sector
Government Sector
Crime & Safety — Santa Cruz leads
Source: FBI UCRSanta Cruz has a burglary rate (per 1k) of 1.35 compared to 8.49 in Santa Monica. Santa Cruz has a robbery rate (per 1k) of 1.03 compared to 2.02 in Santa Monica. Santa Cruz has a property crime rate (per 1k) of 25.15 compared to 47.90 in Santa Monica.
Violent Crime Rate (per 1K)
Property Crime Rate (per 1K)
Murder Rate (per 1K)
Robbery Rate (per 1K)
Assault Rate (per 1K)
Burglary Rate (per 1K)
Larceny Rate (per 1K)
Violent Crime Clearance
Property Crime Clearance
Weather & Climate
Source: NOAA / Open-MeteoAvg Annual Temperature
Avg Annual High
Avg Annual Low
Sunny Days per Year
Annual Rainfall
Annual Snowfall
Avg Humidity
Schools & Education — Santa Monica leads
Source: NCES / U.S. Census BureauSanta Monica has a bachelor's degree or higher of 55.4% compared to 33.5% in Santa Cruz. Santa Monica has a high school diploma or higher of 62.3% compared to 39.5% in Santa Cruz.
Public Schools
Avg Student-Teacher Ratio
Colleges & Universities
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
High School Diploma or Higher
Demographics & Community
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSSanta Monica has a population of 91,535, about 1.5x the size of Santa Cruz (60,953). Santa Cruz skews younger with a median age of 30.7 vs 42.9.
Population
Median Age
Avg Household Size
Married Population
Foreign Born
White
Black
Hispanic
Asian
Santa Monica
Santa Cruz
Healthcare — Santa Monica leads
Source: CMS Hospital CompareSanta Monica: 5 vs Santa Cruz: 3 for with emergency services. Santa Monica: 3.8 vs Santa Cruz: 3.0 for avg cms rating (out of 5).
Nearby Hospitals
Avg CMS Rating (out of 5)
With Emergency Services
Transportation & Commute — Santa Cruz leads
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSSanta Monica has a work from home of 33.1% compared to 19.3% in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz has a bicycle of 5.2% compared to 2.7% in Santa Monica. Santa Cruz has a public transit of 4.8% compared to 2.8% in Santa Monica.
Mean Commute Time
Drive Alone
Public Transit
Bicycle
Work from Home
Airports
Cities Similar to Santa Monica, CA
Compare Santa Monica against its closest statistical matches across demographics, income, crime, health, and more.
City Comparison
8-axis fingerprint: population, income, housing, crime, education, age, climate, and cost of living. Click legend items to toggle.