| Metric | Latest | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Median listing price | $1.25M | +0.1% YoY |
| Median price per sq ft | $729 | 1,697 sq ft median |
| Median days on market | 53 | -18% YoY |
| Active listings | 513 | -7% YoY |
| New listings this month | 206 | September 2026 |
| Listings with a price cut | 24% | Share of active |
| Median sale price (closed) | $1.12M | -12.8% YoY · closed sales, July 2026 |
| Sale-to-list ratio | 99.2% | Closed sales, July 2026, seasonally adjusted |
| Pending-to-active ratio | 30.0% | 154 pending |
| Inventory vs 2019 | 90% | Active listings vs same month in 2019 |
| Gross rental yield | 4.0% | 2BR fair market rent |
Metropolitan market · California · September 2026 data
What is the Santa Cruz, CA real estate market doing?
As of September 2026, the median home listed in Santa Cruz, CA asks $1.25M, up 0.1% year over year. Homes spend a median of 53 days on market, with 513 active listings and 24% carrying a price cut; pending contracts equal 30% of active listings, and inventory sits at 90% of the same month in 2019 — a balanced market. Estimated gross rental yield on the median listing is 4.0%. Figures come from public records and industry data, updated monthly.
Median listing price
$1.25M
▲ 0.1% YoY
Median $ / sq ft
$729
1,697 sq ft median
Median days on market
53
September 2026
Active listings
513
For sale now
New listings
206
September 2026
Listings with price cuts
24%
Share of active
Inventory vs 2019
90%
Same month, 2019 = 100
Pending / active
30%
Contract activity
Median sale price (closed)
$1.12M
▼ 12.8% YoY · closed sales · July 2026
Sale-to-list ratio
99.2%
Closed sales · July 2026, seasonally adjusted
Homes sold / month
178
Closed sales · July 2026, seasonally adjusted
What is the Santa Cruz, CA housing market doing right now?
The Santa Cruz, CA housing market lists at a $1.25M median as of September 2026, up 0.1% year over year, with a 53-day median market time and 513 homes for sale (24% with a price cut). Active inventory is 90% of the 2019 level, reading as a balanced market under WealthyBud's published buyer/seller rule. Gross rental yield is about 4.0%.
Santa Cruz housing market statistics
The table summarizes Santa Cruz's key housing figures for September 2026 — median listing and closed-sale prices, market pace, inventory and rental yield — each computed from public records and industry data. Closed-sale figures are Redfin's July 2026 data, the latest settled month Redfin reports for Santa Cruz.
How have home prices changed in Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz home prices are up 0.1% year over year and -1.4% month over month as of September 2026, at a $1.25M median listing price. The chart tracks the trailing eight-quarter trend in the metro's median asking price.
Median listing price, Santa Cruz CA · trailing 8 quarters · source: public records and industry data.
The 10-year view
10-year median listing price, Santa Cruz CA · June of each year, 2017–2026 · source: public records and industry data.
How much inventory is on the market in Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz has 513 active listings, 206 new this month, 154 pending as of September 2026. About 24% of active listings have cut their price, and inventory sits at 90% of its 2019 level — a balanced market by pace.
Is Santa Cruz a good real estate investment?
Santa Cruz scores 53/100 on WealthyBud's composite Investor Score, ranking #387 of 933 covered U.S. metros as of September 2026. The score blends price momentum, value, rental yield, supply and market heat into one percentile. It is a research opinion, not advice.
Investor Score
53/100
#387 of 933 covered metros
Price volatility
High
σ 7.6% · 20-yr price-index swings
Santa Cruz scores 53/100 on our composite Investor Score (#387 of 933 covered metros), a percentile blend of momentum, value, rental yield, supply and market-heat readings; the metro's long-run house price index has it up 27% over five years and +58% over ten, leaving prices 26% above its own 2000–2019 trend; at the published FY2026 fair market rent of $4,214/mo for a two-bedroom, the gross rental yield on the median listing is about 4.0%; active inventory sits at 90% of its June 2019 level, so supply is still below pre-pandemic norms; listing prices are up 0.1% year over year; all against a national 30-year fixed mortgage rate of 7.28% (national weekly average, 2026-10-01).
Scores are percentile ranks (0–100) across all covered U.S. metros, computed from the public data cited on this page — formulas here. They are data-derived opinions, not investment advice. See how Santa Cruz ranks on the trending markets index.
How much is a monthly mortgage payment in Santa Cruz?
A home at Santa Cruz's $1.25M median listing runs about $6,841 a month in principal and interest — 20% down on a 30-year fixed loan at the current 7.28% national average rate. Taxes, insurance and HOA are extra.
If rates fall 1% · 6.28%
$6,175/mo
−$665/mo vs today
At today's rate · 7.28%
$6,841/mo
National weekly average
If rates rise 1% · 8.28%
$7,532/mo
+$692/mo vs today
Principal & interest on the $1.25M median listing with 20% down and a 30-year fixed loan — excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Current rate: 7.28% (national weekly average, 2026-10-01). Model a full deal in the deal analyzer.
How much income do you need to buy a home in Santa Cruz?
To buy Santa Cruz’s $1.25M median listing with 20% down, a household needs about $321,000 a year in gross income, keeping principal, interest and property tax ($7,486/mo) at 28% of income. That is 2.9× the area’s $109,266 median household income, so a typical Santa Cruz household cannot afford the median listing on these terms.
| Item | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Median listing price | $1.25M | September 2026 |
| Down payment (20%) | $249,950 | Assumption |
| Principal & interest (7.28%, 30-yr fixed) | $6,841/mo | Rate as of 2026-10-01 |
| Property tax (0.62% effective rate) | $646/mo | Census ACS |
| Income needed (28% rule) | $321,000 | Gross household income / yr |
| Median household income | $109,266 | Census ACS 2023 ACS 5-year |
Excludes homeowners insurance, HOA dues and mortgage insurance, so the true income needed is higher. Compare every market in the income-needed ranking and the price-to-income ranking.
What is driving the Santa Cruz housing market?
Longer-run demand in Santa Cruz shows up in 550 homes permitted in 2025; net migration of -2,053 residents; +0.5% job growth. Natural-hazard risk rates Relatively High. These federal supply-pipeline, migration and jobs signals shape where prices head next.
Building permits (2025)
550
▲ 145.5% vs 2024
2.1 per 1,000 residents
Net migration (2022–2023)
-2,053
▼ people, via tax-return records
net income flow −$9.42M/yr
Job growth (YoY)
+0.5%
▲ 102.9k nonfarm jobs · August 2026
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
National hazard index · top hazard: Earthquake
Based on public government records — building-permit, tax-return migration, employment and natural-hazard statistics, aggregated to the metro. Details on /methodology.
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What is the median home price in Santa Cruz?
As of September 2026, the median listing price in Santa Cruz, CA is $1.25M, up 0.1% year over year (source: public records and industry data). Figures cover the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area.
How much does it cost to buy a home in Santa Cruz?
The median home listed in Santa Cruz asks $1.25M as of September 2026. With 20% down on a 30-year fixed loan at the current 7.28% national average rate, that runs about $6,841 a month in principal and interest, before taxes, insurance and HOA.
How fast are homes selling in Santa Cruz?
The median property in Santa Cruz spends 53 days on the market, with 513 homes actively listed and 24% of them carrying a price cut — a balanced market as of September 2026.
Is it a buyer's or seller's market in Santa Cruz?
With a median 53 days on market and 24% of active listings carrying a price cut, pending contracts at 30% of active listings, Santa Cruz reads as a balanced market as of September 2026. Labels use WealthyBud's published DOM / sale-to-list / price-cut / pending rule. Conditions shift monthly.
Is Santa Cruz a good place to invest in real estate?
Santa Cruz scores 53/100 on WealthyBud's Investor Score, ranking #387 of 933 covered U.S. metros as of September 2026. The score blends price momentum, value, rental yield, supply and market heat. It is a data-derived research opinion, not investment advice.
Who are the top real estate agents in Santa Cruz?
See WealthyBud directories for the top-producing agents, teams and brokerages serving Santa Cruz and the wider California market, ranked by recent sales from public profile data.
Based on public records and industry data, September 2026 — see our methodology for how every figure is computed. Figures cover the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area. Figures change monthly — verify current conditions with a local agent or MLS. Portions of market data courtesy of Realtor.com and Redfin; additional statistics from U.S. government sources.
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