The typical owner-occupied home in Santa Cruz County is worth about $1,027,500, 40% above the California median of $734,700 and 3.1 times the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $6,538 a year in property taxes, about 0.64% of their home's value, lower than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $111,093 a year, so the median home costs 9.2 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 60% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 63% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Santa Cruz County at a glance
| Santa Cruz County | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,027,500 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $6,538 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.64% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $111,093 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 60% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 63% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $3,524 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 25.2% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $2,264 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 31.1% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1974 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 9.4% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 264,926 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Santa Cruz County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Santa Cruz County home of $1,027,500 with 20% down costs about $6,506 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $8,383, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $278,819 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 70% of the median Santa Cruz County household income of $111,093; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $409,000.
The median rent here is $2,264 a month, so owning the median home costs about $4,242 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $205,500 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $822,000 |
| Principal and interest | $5,530 |
| Property taxes (0.64% a year) | $548 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $428 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $6,506 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $35,962 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $1,008,889 |
| Principal and interest | $6,787 |
| Property taxes (0.64% a year) | $548 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $428 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $620 |
| Total per month | $8,383 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Santa Cruz County
What is the median home value in Santa Cruz County?
About $1,027,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Santa Cruz County?
Homeowners pay a median $6,538 a year, which is about 0.64% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Santa Cruz County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $6,506 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $278,819 a year.
More about Santa Cruz County
- Mortgage Refinance in Santa Cruz County
- Debt Relief in Santa Cruz County
- Home Equity Loans in Santa Cruz County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data