| | Santa Cruz, CA | Arcata, CA | United States |
| Overall | 186.0 | 108.0 | 100 |
| Food & Groceries | 111.5 | 101.7 | 100 |
| Health | 109.2 | 117.7 | 100 |
| Housing | 420.7 | 136.4 | 100 |
| Median Home Cost | $1,270,800 | $444,300 | $338,100 |
| Utilities | 9,350.0% | 8,840.0% | 10,000.0% |
| Transportation | 110.5 | 81.2 | 100 |
| Miscellaneous | 155.7 | 117.1 | 100 |
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Santa Cruz 
44 Reviews
I lived in the Santa Cruz area for 20 years. UCSC alum. Our kids were born there. There are wonderful things about Santa Cruz, but also many serious problems that we More
I have been here for four generations! My kids are the fifth. I guess that should tell you how wonderful it is here, at least for us. It's so cool to have world class More
I was born over the hill in San Jose area, and as a kid I loved coming over to the boardwalk. Santa Cruz has always been and always will be a town of diversity, More
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Pros:
Nature hikes
Cons:
One of highest crime rates in the nation.
Opioid epidemic going on (you’ll regularly witness drug deals and ppl doing drugs)
No More
It takes a special set of preferences to select Arcata. Is this you?
- You love clouds and fog. You are happy if you see the sun maybe 10-20 times a year.
- Chilly More
I've lived in Humboldt for over 30 yrs and know all the areas well. Arcata is the jewel of Humboldt due to having a university and many liberal creative people. There is More
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