Santa Cruz, CA Rental Market Trends
Highlights
The average rent for an apartment in Santa Cruz is $2,457, a 6% decrease compared to the previous year, when the average rent was $2,611.
Average Rent in Santa Cruz, CA
| Average Rent | Y-o-Y Change | Average Apartment Size |
|---|---|---|
| $2,457 | -6% | 708 sq. ft. |
The average size for a Santa Cruz, CA apartment is 708 square feet, but this number varies greatly depending on unit type, with cheap and luxury alternatives for houses and apartments alike. Studio apartments are the smallest and most affordable, 1-bedroom apartments are closer to the average, while 2-bedroom apartments and 3-bedroom apartments offer a more generous square footage.
Santa Cruz, CA Apartment Rent Ranges
- $1,001-$1,5004%
- $1,501-$2,00021%
- > $2,00076%
Santa Cruz, CA Occupied Housing Units
- Renter-occupied Households51%
- Owner-occupied Households48%
11,639 or 51% of the households in Santa Cruz, CA are renter-occupied while 10,940 or 48% are owner-occupied.
Santa Cruz, CA Rent Trends
| Average Rent | Mar / 2018 | Jul / 2018 | Nov / 2018 | Mar / 2019 | Jul / 2019 | Nov / 2019 | Mar / 2020 | Jul / 2020 | Mar / 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz, CA | $2,351 | $2,351 | $2,581 | $2,464 | $2,573 | $2,611 | $2,591 | $2,405 | $2,457 |
| National | $1,311 | $1,342 | $1,351 | $1,356 | $1,388 | $1,395 | $1,397 | $1,389 | $1,392 |
Average Rent in Santa Cruz, CA By Neighborhood
| Neighborhood | Average Rent |
|---|---|
| Beach Hill-Neary Lagoon | $2,553 |
| Downtown Santa Cruz | $2,553 |
| Garfield | $2,553 |
| Harvey West | $2,553 |
| Lighthouse-Natural Bridges | $2,553 |
| Moore Creek | $2,553 |
| Nobel | $2,553 |
| University of California Santa Cruz | $2,553 |
| Westlake | $2,553 |
| Wilder Ranch State Park | $2,553 |
| East Morrissey | $2,516 |
| Carbonera-Prospect Heights | $2,476 |
| Seabright | $2,364 |
The most affordable neighborhoods in Santa Cruz are Seabright, where the average rent goes for $2,364/month, Carbonera-Prospect Heights, where renters pay $2,476/mo on average, and East Morrissey, where the average rent goes for $2,516/mo. If you’re looking for other great deals, check out the listings from Beach Hill-Neary Lagoon ($2,553), Downtown Santa Cruz ($2,553), and Garfield ($2,553), where the asking prices are below the average Santa Cruz rent of $2,457/mo.
The most expensive neighborhoods in Santa Cruz are University of California Santa Cruz ($2,553), Westlake ($2,553) and Wilder Ranch State Park ($2,553).
The most popular neighborhood in Santa Cruz is Downtown Santa Cruz, where there are 2 verified RENTCafé listings with an average rent of $2,553. Next up is Seabright, where apartments go for $2,364/month, followed by Beach Hill-Neary Lagoon with $2,553 If you’re looking to rent in Santa Cruz’s most popular neighborhoods, make sure to also check out East Morrissey, where renters pay $2,516 on average, and Nobel, where the average monthly rent is $2,553.
Santa Cruz | Rent Comparison by Neighborhood
Rent in Beach Hill-Neary Lagoon is 3% higher than in Carbonera-Prospect Heights
Beach Hill-Neary Lagoon rent is 4% higher than Santa Cruz average
| Average Rent | $2,553 |
|---|
Carbonera-Prospect Heights rent is 1% higher than Santa Cruz average
| Average Rent | $2,476 |
|---|
How Santa Cruz Compares to Other Cities
| Average Rent | Y-o-Y Change | |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $2,354 | -6% |
| San Francisco | $2,999 | -18% |
| East Bay | $2,307 | -2% |
| San Diego | $2,179 | -2% |
| Palo Alto | $2,940 | -11% |
| San Jose | $2,485 | -10% |
| Sunnyvale | $2,590 | -14% |
| San Mateo | $2,845 | -15% |
| Fremont | $2,343 | -5% |
| Santa Clara | $2,626 | -10% |
| Santa Cruz | $2,457 | -6% |
For more information about the Santa Cruz rental trends, check out our monthly rent report
Check out California Cities, California Neighborhoods and California Zip Codes for more details on verified listings, including the California Average Rent.
Curious about listings in your area? Check out our apartments near you for more details!