Santa Cruz, CA metro area Housing Market Brief
metro · as of July 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.
Where is Santa Cruz, CA metro area in its market cycle?
Santa Cruz, CA metro area is classified as Mature — holding near a healthy peak. This is a classification of recent (1–12 month) momentum, not a price forecast.
What’s the forecast for Santa Cruz, CA metro area?
Our model forecasts Santa Cruz, CA metro area’s home prices to rise about 4.0% over the next 12 months (high confidence).
This is a separate, forward-looking view — not the cycle classification above. See how past forecasts performed on the track record, or the full local forecast with its confidence range on the market page.
Santa Cruz, CA metro area housing market data
| Metric | Value | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $1.1M | ▼ -4.2% |
| Median Days on Market | 48 days | ▲ +6.7% |
| Months of Supply | 2.8 | ▼ -15.1% |
| Homes for Sale | 455 | ▼ -17% |
| Homes Sold | 162 | ▼ -2.4% |
| Median Price / Sq Ft | $750 | ▲ +3.3% |
How has Santa Cruz, CA metro area’s Alpha Score moved?
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Frequently asked questions
Is Santa Cruz, CA metro area a buyer's or seller's market?
As of July 2026, Santa Cruz, CA metro area is classified as a Buyer's Market, based on its Alpha Score of 36 out of 100. The classification reflects current price, inventory, 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 4.2% over the past year.
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 (54/100) 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.