Signals
Soquel
Santa Cruz
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 33%
vs50 · Bottom 36%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 18%
vs24 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
49 · Bottom 10%
vs38 · Bottom 3%
Access
88 · Bottom 38%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs45 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Soquel | Santa Cruz | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,679 | 61,607 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $118,777 | $115,475 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,992 | $55,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,323/sq mi | 4,836/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $957,300 | $1,209,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,266 | $2,452 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.7% | 48.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.0% | 57.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 17.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 72°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.4" | 22.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.7 | 31.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.05 | 20.65 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.1% | 47.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Soquel
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Santa Cruz
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Soquel
58
Your Score
—
Area Score
Santa Cruz
55
Your Score
51
Area Score
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Full profiles: Soquel, CA · Santa Cruz, CA · How this is calculated: methodology