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Santa Cruz, California: crime rate and local statistics
The violent-crime rate in Santa Cruz was 5.3 per 1,000 residents in 2025, 23% higher than the statewide rate (4.3). Median household income is $115,475 and the median home value is $1,209,000. About 61,607 people live in Santa Cruz.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income by neighborhood · home values · schools
What is the crime rate in Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz police recorded 332 violent crimes in 2025, or 5.3 for every 1,000 residents. For comparison, that is 23% higher than the California rate (4.3) and 62% higher than the national rate (3.3). Property crime came to 1,549 offenses (24.8 per 1,000; California: 17.9). Compared with 2022, when 447 were reported, the count is down 26%.
| Offense (2025) | Santa Cruz count | Per 1,000 | California per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 332 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 3.3 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.00 | 0.03 | 0.04 |
| Rape | 33 | 0.53 | 0.33 | 0.36 |
| Robbery | 65 | 1.0 | 0.95 | 0.49 |
| Aggravated assault | 234 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 2.4 |
| Property crime | 1,549 | 24.8 | 17.9 | 15.3 |
| Burglary | 76 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 1.9 |
| Larceny-theft | 1,373 | 22.0 | 12.0 | 11.4 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 100 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 2.0 |
How has crime in Santa Cruz changed since 2021?
| Year | Violent crimes | Property crimes | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | not reported in full | – | – |
| 2022 | 447 | 2,226 | 1 |
| 2023 | 404 | 1,525 | 0 |
| 2024 | 382 | 1,554 | 3 |
| 2025 | 332 | 1,549 | 0 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. City figures are the Santa Cruz Police Department's own reports.
How does Santa Cruz compare with California?
The median household income in Santa Cruz is $115,475, 16% higher than the California median ($99,122). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $1,209,000, and half of renters pay more than $2,452 a month. About 61,607 people live on 13 square miles of land, roughly 4,836 per square mile. The city lies in Santa Cruz County.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Santa Cruz | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 61,607 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $115,475 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $1,209,000 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $2,452 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 7.2% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 17.0% | 12.0% | 12.5% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 57.6% | 37.1% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 48.4% | 55.9% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 31.1 | 37.9 | 38.9 |
What environmental sites and hazards are in Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz County carries a “Relatively High” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. Among the hazards we show, the highest-rated are river flooding (Relatively High) and earthquakes (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Is there road construction in Santa Cruz?
The state DOT feed had no interstate, U.S. or state highway work zones in Santa Cruz city limits on October 11, 2026. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel. The map's layer refreshes every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in or near Santa Cruz?
Inside the city limits there are 17 public schools (2024-25) and 4 private schools (2023-24). Within about 15 miles: 14 state parks or recreation areas: Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Castle Rock State Park, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Lighthouse Field State Beach and Manresa State Beach and 9 more.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Santa Cruz
Gun shops
No gun shops or licensed gun dealers are on the map inside the Santa Cruz city limits.
Liquor stores
8 liquor stores are on the map inside the Santa Cruz city limits: Beach Liquors (Santa Cruz), Days Market Liquors & Deli (Santa Cruz), Ernie's Wine & Liquor (Santa Cruz), Grog Shop The (Santa Cruz), Lloyds Liquor (Santa Cruz), M-Bee Liquor (Santa Cruz), Mission Liquors (Santa Cruz) and U Save Liquors (Santa Cruz).
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center inside the Santa Cruz city limits on the map.
See them on the map: liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Santa Cruz?
In 2025, Santa Cruz had 5.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (332 reported), 23% higher than the California rate (4.3). The property-crime rate was 24.8 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Santa Cruz?
$115,475 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024), compared with $99,122 for California.
How much do homes cost in Santa Cruz?
The median value of owner-occupied homes is $1,209,000 (Census ACS 2020-2024), against $734,700 statewide.
What natural hazards affect Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz County carries a “Relatively High” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. Among the hazards we show, the highest-rated are river flooding (Relatively High) and earthquakes (Relatively High).
Nearby cities
Watsonville, CA (15 mi) · Cupertino, CA (24 mi) · Gilroy, CA (25 mi) · San Jose, CA (25 mi) · Santa Clara, CA (27 mi) · Sunnyvale, CA (28 mi)
More: California statewide numbers · county page: Santa Cruz County · Sex-offender registry search (NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, agency counts 2021-2025 (Return A); state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables, for the Census place Santa Cruz city.
- Land area: Census 2024 Gazetteer. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores (county level).
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026).
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026).
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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