Monterey vs Santa Cruz
Monterey, California versus Santa Cruz, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Monterey edges out Santa Cruz on overall objective livability (52 vs 48 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Monterey | Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $98k | $105k |
| Cost of Living | $106k | $106k |
| Home Value | $929k | $1.1M |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.60% | 0.56% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.95% | 22.12% |
| Unemployment | 4.9% | 6.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 52°F | 51°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 62°F | 64°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.1 in | 30.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 231 days | 231 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 199 days | 200 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 73.2 | 76.6 |
| Air Quality | 33 AQI | 34 AQI |
| School Quality | 70.7 | 66.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1555/100k | 1622/100k |
| Property Crime | 2272/100k | 3611/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 30,007 | 61,367 |
| Median Age | 36.8 | 29.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+62 | D+62 |
| White (%) | 64.6% | 61.0% |
| Black (%) | 3.3% | 1.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 19.3% | 21.2% |
| Asian (%) | 7.7% | 9.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 6.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 15.4/20 | 13.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 53 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.1% | 94.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 148.30 | 78.87 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Monterey or Santa Cruz more affordable?
- Santa Cruz has the lower cost of living: its index is $106k, compared with Monterey's $106k and Santa Cruz's $106k. Median rent is $2k in Monterey versus $2k in Santa Cruz.
- Is Monterey or Santa Cruz safer?
- Monterey has the lower violent crime rate. Monterey reports 1555/100k and Santa Cruz reports 1622/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Monterey or Santa Cruz?
- The median home value is $929k in Monterey and $1.1M in Santa Cruz, so homes are more affordable in Monterey.