2026 Compare Cities Rankings:
Santa Cruz, CA vs Castaic, CA

#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

#2 Most Comfortable Summer Cities

#2 Top 10 Cities to Beat the Heat

#43 Best Cities for Board Gamers

#47 Gloomiest Places in America

#50 America's Top Hygge Cities

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

I've lived in northern Castaic for 14 years so this review is for northern Castaic Pros: convenient freeway access, boating on Lake Castaic, lots of gas stations,  More

Formerly a "truck stop" town, Castaic is the last town before going over the Grapevine, heading North on I-5 towards San Francisco. The town is unincorporated and sits  More

I currently live in Valencia. Before I consider purchasing a house in Castaic off Lake Hughes Rd and closer to the lake, is it safe to live in this neighborhood? Any  More