Santa Cruz, CA metro area Housing Market Brief
metro · CA · score computed October 2026
What is Santa Cruz, CA metro area’s Alpha Score?
The Alpha Score is a composite 0–100 index of market strength, a weighted blend of five dimensions. See the methodology.
Population band 4 of 5 (population 112,714–277,881) · comparable within its band
Where is Santa Cruz, CA metro area in its market cycle?
Santa Cruz, CA metro area is classified as Recovering — turning back up after a downturn. This is a classification of recent (1–12 month) momentum, not a price forecast.
What’s the forecast for Santa Cruz, CA metro area?
Metro-level forecasts are paused (since Oct 18, 2026). The new public-data model we built to replace them didn't pass our accuracy test, and we won't publish forecasts again until a model does.
Santa Cruz, CA metro area housing market data
| Metric | Value | YoY | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $1.1M | ▼ -7.6% | Redfin |
| Median Days on Market | 33 days | ▼ -5.7% | Redfin |
| Months of Supply | 3.4 | ▲ +21.4% | Redfin |
| Homes for Sale | 542 | ▲ +7.3% | Redfin |
| Homes Sold | 160 | ▼ -11.6% | Redfin |
| Median Price / Sq Ft | $685 | ▼ -2.6% | Redfin |
How has Santa Cruz, CA metro area’s Alpha Score moved?
Markets like Santa Cruz, CA metro area
- San Rafael, CA metro area, CAmetro14
- Seattle, WA metro area, WAmetro19
- Mount Vernon, WA metro area, WAmetro26
- San Luis Obispo, CA metro area, CAmetro16
- Portland, OR metro area, ORmetro27
- Denver, CO metro area, COmetro27
- Oakland, CA metro area, CAmetro17
- Santa Fe, NM metro area, NMmetro21
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAmetro31
- Eugene, OR metro area, ORmetro27
Frequently asked questions
Is Santa Cruz, CA metro area a buyer's or seller's market?
In the scores computed October 2026, Santa Cruz, CA metro area is classified as a Deep Buyer's Market, based on its Alpha Score of 21 out of 100. The classification reflects current price, building, affordability, economic, and rental-yield conditions.
Are home prices rising or falling in Santa Cruz, CA metro area?
The median sale price in Santa Cruz, CA metro area is $1.1M, having fallen 7.6% over the past year, according to Redfin.
How affordable is Santa Cruz, CA metro area?
Santa Cruz, CA metro area scores 1 out of 100 on affordability — relatively unaffordable relative to local incomes and prevailing mortgage rates compared with other metros.
What's driving Santa Cruz, CA metro area's Alpha Score?
Santa Cruz, CA metro area's strongest dimension is Inventory Health (45/100) and its weakest is Affordability (1/100). The Alpha Score is a weighted blend of all five dimensions.
Want the live, interactive view of Santa Cruz, CA metro area? Open the full market dashboard — charts, ZIP-level drill-down, and watchlist tracking. Explore the map or read the methodology.