2025 Compare Cities Rankings:
Lacey, WA vs Santa Cruz, CA

#1 Most Secure Places to Live in the U.S. (Mid-Size Metro Areas)

#4 Most Secure Places to Live 2011 (Mid-Size Cities)

#10 Safest Places from Natural Disasters

#16 2005 Best Places to Live

#36 Best Green Cities

#49 America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Mid-Size Metro Areas)

#18 Most Competitive Public Colleges

#27 Best Green Cities

#41 America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Mid-Size Metro Areas)

#124 2005 Best Places to Live

My husband is in the military and so we move from place to place. Lacey is about 20 minutes drive from Joint Base Lewis Mcchord. The area is really nice because it is a  More

I'm just ready to move someplace where the sun shines more, it's warmer and  More

There is currently construction on a trail that connects from Lacey to Tummwater. The trail used to be an abandoned railroad. I'm very happy because of  More

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