2025 Compare Cities Housing:
Lake Forest, CA vs Santa Cruz, CA

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Highlights
- The median age of a home in Lake Forest is 36.8% younger than the median age of a home in Santa Cruz.
 Lake Forest, CASanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Median Home Age38  Unlock42
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,270,800$338,100
 Home Appr. Last 12 months22.3%  Unlock16.6%
 Home Appr. Last 5 yrs.  Unlock34.8%57.0%
 Home Appr. Last 10 yrs.109.2%  Unlock101.1%
 Property Tax Rate  Unlock$6.2$11.0
 Homes Owned67.0%  Unlock57.4%
 Housing Vacant  Unlock8.2%11.2%
 Homes Rented27.9%  Unlock31.4%
 space
 Avg Rent For Home Or Apartment
 Lake Forest, CASanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Average Rent  Unlock$4,500$1,840
 Studio Apartment$2,180  Unlock$1,080
 1 Bedroom Home or Apartment  Unlock$2,800$1,180
 2 Bedroom Home or Apartment$2,850  Unlock$1,430
 3 Bedroom Home or Apartment  Unlock$4,560$1,860
 4 Bedroom Home or Apartment$4,530  Unlock$2,160
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 Vacant Housing
 Lake Forest, CASanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Vacant For Rent  Unlock0.9%1.9%
 Vacant Rented0.4%  Unlock0.4%
 Vacant For Sale  Unlock0.6%0.7%
 Vacant Sold1.1%  Unlock0.4%
 Vacant Vacation  Unlock2.6%3.6%
 Vacant Other0.9%  Unlock4.1%
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 Owner-Occupied Housing Value
 Lake Forest, CASanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Less Than $20,000  Unlock1.4%2.6%
 $20,000 to $39,9990.4%  Unlock2.4%
 $40,000 to $59,999  Unlock0.0%2.8%
 $60,000 to $79,9991.6%  Unlock3.9%
 $80,000 to $99,999  Unlock0.2%4.5%
 $100,000 to $149,9990.9%  Unlock11.3%
 $150,000 to $199,999  Unlock0.7%13.0%
 $200,000 to $299,9992.3%  Unlock20.1%
 $300,000 to $399,999  Unlock2.5%13.6%
 $400,000 to $499,9998.4%  Unlock8.3%
 $500,000 to $749,999  Unlock12.4%9.7%
 $750,000 to $999,99937.3%  Unlock3.9%
 $1,000,000 to $1,499,999  Unlock28.0%2.2%
 $1,500,000 to $1,999,9990.8%  Unlock0.8%
 $2,000,000 and over  Unlock4.5%1.1%
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 Housing Units By Year Built
 Lake Forest, CASanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 2015 and Newer0.5%  Unlock0.2%
 2010 to 2014  Unlock8.0%13.6%
 2000 to 20091.8%  Unlock13.6%
 1990 to 1999  Unlock9.9%13.6%
 1980 to 198930.0%  Unlock13.2%
 1970 to 1979  Unlock18.3%14.8%
 1960 to 196918.1%  Unlock13.6%
 1950 to 1959  Unlock12.5%10.0%
 1940 to 19490.1%  Unlock4.7%
 1939 or Earlier  Unlock18.2%12.2%
Reviews for Lake Forest    16 Reviews

I've lived in Lake Forest for over a decade, before that elsewhere in OC and also up in LA. Lake Forest isn't perfect but it's really improved over the past decade,  More

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As a retired senior who has lived in Lake Forest (formerly El Toro) since 1977 I think LF is a great place if you can afford it. When we moved here in June '77 homes  More

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I’ve lived here for 2 years. Ok, it’s more like a 4 but there are so many idiots downplaying what it’s like here and giving Lake Forest ones and twos. There are a lot of  More

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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

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Over 5 years ago

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

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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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