Most Affordable Neighborhoods in Santa Cruz, CA

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Overall Score

School

Safety

Amenities

Price

Value

Appreciation

The lowest median home price among ranked Santa Cruz neighborhoods is $722,499, in Lower Ocean, against a citywide median of $1,247,000. Prices run up to $1,900,000 in Lighthouse / The Circles across 12 ranked neighborhoods.

Houseberry scores 34 Santa Cruz neighborhoods on schools, safety, amenities, price, value and appreciation. Overall scores in Santa Cruz run from 1.4 to 3.8 out of 5, and 0 score 4 out of 5 or higher. Median home prices range from $722,499 in Lower Ocean to $1,900,000 in Lighthouse / The Circles across 12 priced neighborhoods. Across the five nearest cities the average overall score is 3.9 out of 5, against 2.7 in Santa Cruz.

Learn more about Santa Cruz, CA.

1^st

Moore Creek Upland Open Space, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.6/5

SCHOOL4.5/5

SAFETY3.0/5

AMENITIES0.5/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

2^nd

Water Street Corridor, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.5/5

SCHOOL4.0/5

SAFETY3.0/5

AMENITIES4.4/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

3^rd

University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.4/5

SCHOOL3.0/5

SAFETY4.0/5

AMENITIES1.4/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

4^th

Paradise Park Masonic Club, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.4/5

SCHOOL3.0/5

SAFETY4.0/5

AMENITIES0.2/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

5^th

Beach Hill / Beach Flats, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.3/5

SCHOOL5.0/5

SAFETY1.5/5

AMENITIES4.2/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

6^th

King Street, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.3/5

SCHOOL3.0/5

SAFETY3.5/5

AMENITIES3.5/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

7^th

Harvey West District, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.2/5

SCHOOL3.5/5

SAFETY3.0/5

AMENITIES2.5/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

8^th

Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.1/5

SCHOOL2.5/5

SAFETY4.0/5

AMENITIES1.4/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

9^th

Beach and Boardwalk District, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.0/5

SCHOOL4.5/5

SAFETY1.5/5

AMENITIES4/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

10^th

Westside Industrial District, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.0/5

SCHOOL3.0/5

SAFETY3.0/5

AMENITIES2/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

11^th

Lighthouse Field State Beach, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.7/5

SCHOOL1.5/5

SAFETY4.0/5

AMENITIES1.9/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

12^th

Tanner Heights, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.7/5

SCHOOL1.0/5

SAFETY4.5/5

AMENITIES1.5/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

13^th

San Lorenzo Park, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.4/5

SCHOOL1.5/5

SAFETY3.0/5

AMENITIES4.7/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

14^th

Neary Lagoon, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.3/5

SCHOOL2.5/5

SAFETY2.0/5

AMENITIES3/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

15^th

Pogonip, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.1/5

SCHOOL1.5/5

SAFETY3.0/5

AMENITIES0.4/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

16^th

Mission Street Corridor, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.1/5

SCHOOL2.5/5

SAFETY1.5/5

AMENITIES4/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

17^th

Soquel Avenue Corridor, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.0/5

SCHOOL2.5/5

SAFETY1.5/5

AMENITIES3.3/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

18^th

DeLaveaga Park, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 1.9/5

SCHOOL1.0/5

SAFETY3.0/5

AMENITIES0.3/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

19^th

Ocean Street Corridor, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 1.9/5

SCHOOL0.5/5

SAFETY3.0/5

AMENITIES4.3/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

20^th

Arana Gulch, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 1.6/5

SCHOOL1.5/5

SAFETY1.5/5

AMENITIES2.9/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

21^st

Branciforte Drive, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 1.4/5

SCHOOL1.0/5

SAFETY1.5/5

AMENITIES4/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

22^nd

River Street District, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 1.4/5

SCHOOL1.0/5

SAFETY1.5/5

AMENITIES4.3/5

PRICE-

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

23^rd

Lower Ocean, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.4/5

SCHOOL3.0/5

SAFETY1.5/5

AMENITIES4.4/5

PRICE$722,499

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

24^th

Downtown Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.6/5

SCHOOL3.0/5

SAFETY2.0/5

AMENITIES4.6/5

PRICE$750,000

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

25^th

Banana Belt, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.3/5

SCHOOL1.0/5

SAFETY3.5/5

AMENITIES3.5/5

PRICE$837,250

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

26^th

Upper Ocean, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.3/5

SCHOOL3.5/5

SAFETY3.0/5

AMENITIES3.2/5

PRICE$939,000

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

27^th

Prospect Heights, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.8/5

SCHOOL-/5

SAFETY4.0/5

AMENITIES1.3/5

PRICE$995,450

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

28^th

California Street / Mission Hill, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.2/5

SCHOOL-/5

SAFETY2.0/5

AMENITIES4.2/5

PRICE$1,195,000

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

29^th

Westlake, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.7/5

SCHOOL2.0/5

SAFETY3.5/5

AMENITIES2/5

PRICE$1,299,000

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

30^th

Western Drive / Nobel, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.6/5

SCHOOL4.0/5

SAFETY3.5/5

AMENITIES1.7/5

PRICE$1,545,000

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

31^st

Carbonera, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.1/5

SCHOOL2.5/5

SAFETY4.0/5

AMENITIES0.5/5

PRICE$1,550,000

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

32^nd

Upper Seabright, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 2.3/5

SCHOOL2.5/5

SAFETY2.0/5

AMENITIES3.5/5

PRICE$1,700,000

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

33^rd

Lower Seabright, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.5/5

SCHOOL4.0/5

SAFETY3.0/5

AMENITIES2.3/5

PRICE$1,850,000

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

34^th

Lighthouse / The Circles, Santa Cruz, CA

Overall Score : 3.7/5

SCHOOL3.5/5

SAFETY4.0/5

AMENITIES2.9/5

PRICE$1,900,000

APPRECIATION-

VALUE$0

Scores updated August 2026

Most Affordable Neighborhoods

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Santa Cruz home prices: your questions, answered

Which Santa Cruz neighborhoods are most affordable?

Lower Ocean has the lowest median home price in Santa Cruz, at $722,499. The next lowest median home prices in Santa Cruz are Downtown Santa Cruz ($750,000) and Banana Belt ($837,250).

What is the median home price in Santa Cruz?

The median home price across 12 ranked Santa Cruz neighborhoods is $1,247,000.

Which Santa Cruz neighborhoods are the most expensive?

Lighthouse / The Circles has the highest median home price in Santa Cruz, at $1,900,000. The next highest median home prices in Santa Cruz are Lower Seabright ($1,850,000) and Upper Seabright ($1,700,000).

How much do median home prices vary across Santa Cruz neighborhoods?

Median home prices across Santa Cruz neighborhoods run from $722,499 in Lower Ocean to $1,900,000 in Lighthouse / The Circles, a spread of $1,177,501.

How do Santa Cruz home prices compare with nearby cities?

Santa Cruz's median home price across ranked neighborhoods is $1,247,000. The nearest cities are Monte Sereno $4,281,340, Los Gatos $3,858,650, Saratoga $4,237,775, Campbell $2,228,080 and Morgan Hill $1,138,110.

Most Affordable Neighborhoods in Santa Cruz, CA

Moore Creek Upland Open Space, Santa Cruz, CA

Water Street Corridor, Santa Cruz, CA

University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

Paradise Park Masonic Club, Santa Cruz, CA

Beach Hill / Beach Flats, Santa Cruz, CA

King Street, Santa Cruz, CA

Harvey West District, Santa Cruz, CA

Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz, CA

Beach and Boardwalk District, Santa Cruz, CA

Westside Industrial District, Santa Cruz, CA

Lighthouse Field State Beach, Santa Cruz, CA

Tanner Heights, Santa Cruz, CA

San Lorenzo Park, Santa Cruz, CA

Neary Lagoon, Santa Cruz, CA

Pogonip, Santa Cruz, CA

Mission Street Corridor, Santa Cruz, CA

Soquel Avenue Corridor, Santa Cruz, CA

DeLaveaga Park, Santa Cruz, CA

Ocean Street Corridor, Santa Cruz, CA

Arana Gulch, Santa Cruz, CA

Branciforte Drive, Santa Cruz, CA

River Street District, Santa Cruz, CA

Lower Ocean, Santa Cruz, CA

Downtown Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

Banana Belt, Santa Cruz, CA

Upper Ocean, Santa Cruz, CA

Prospect Heights, Santa Cruz, CA

California Street / Mission Hill, Santa Cruz, CA

Westlake, Santa Cruz, CA

Western Drive / Nobel, Santa Cruz, CA

Carbonera, Santa Cruz, CA

Upper Seabright, Santa Cruz, CA

Lower Seabright, Santa Cruz, CA

Lighthouse / The Circles, Santa Cruz, CA

Most Affordable Neighborhoods

Santa Cruz home prices: your questions, answered

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