Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$1,136,188+4.8% YoY · prices are rising fast
Market right nowBalanced marketMore homes for sale than last year, 22% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$246,302About 2.3× the local median income ($105,437): hard to afford
Days on market58 daysAbout the same pace as a year ago
Next 12 months+0.3%Zillow expects prices to stay about flat
The typical home in Santa Cruz County, CA is worth $1,136,188, up 4.8% from a year ago. That is slightly above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $1,055,957, so the area is 7.6% overvalued. It is a balanced market: homes take about 58 days to sell, listings are up 0% from a year ago, 22% of listings have had a price cut. Zillow expects prices to rise about 0.3% over the next year. A household needs about $246,302 a year to afford the typical home here at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $105,437. Typical rent is $3,469 a month, or $4,321 for a house. In the latest IRS figures, 2,053 more people moved out than in.
Home value over time
Solid: typical home value · dashed: fair value (household income × the 20-year average price-to-income ratio). Sources: FHFA, Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau.
Prices and affordability
Typical home value
$1,136,188
Change in 1 year
+4.8%
Overvalued %
+7.6%
Show 7 more
Fair home value
$1,055,957
Change in 5 years
+11.9%
Zillow forecast, next 12 months
+0.3%
Home value to income
10.8×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$6,158
Income needed to afford it
$246,302
Property tax rate
0.64%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$3,469
Typical rent for houses
$4,321
Price-to-rent ratio
27.3×
Show 3 more
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$4,254
Gross rental yield
3.66%
Cap rate (estimate)
2.38%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+0.4%
Days on market
58
Listings with a price cut
22.3%
Show 3 more
Homes for sale
509
Pending sales per 100 listings
30
Asking price per sq ft
$706
People and jobs
Median household income
$105,437
Population change (1 year)
−1.0%
Unemployment rate
6.1%
Show 4 more
Population
258,852
Income adjusted for cost of living
$95,939
Net moves in (IRS)
−2,053
Cost of living (US = 100)
109.9
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
5.7
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
97.8
Unhealthy air days a year
0
Show 4 more
Flood risk score
96.2
Wildfire risk score
97.3
Walkability (1 to 20)
12.0
Road, rail and air noise
55 dB
Questions people ask
Is Santa Cruz County, CA overvalued?
Home prices in Santa Cruz County, CA are slightly above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $1,055,957, so the area is 7.6% overvalued.
Is Santa Cruz County, CA a buyer's or seller's market?
Santa Cruz County, CA is a balanced market: homes take about 58 days to sell, listings are up 0% from a year ago, 22% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Santa Cruz County, CA?
Home values in Santa Cruz County, CA are up 4.8% over the last year. Zillow's forecast for the next 12 months is +0.3%.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Santa Cruz County, CA?
A household needs about $246,302 a year to afford the typical home in Santa Cruz County, CA at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $105,437.