2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Santa Cruz, CA vs Champaign, IL

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Highlights
Are people in Champaign older or younger than people in Santa Cruz?
- The Median Age in Champaign is 2.1 years younger than in Santa Cruz.

Are housing costs cheaper in Champaign or Santa Cruz?
- Champaign housing costs are 85.0% less expensive than Santa Cruz housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Champaign or Santa Cruz?
- The average commute for residents of Champaign is 7.8 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Santa Cruz.

Things to do in Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz, California is an incredible city located in the heart of the Monterey Bay area. This beautiful city offers plenty for visitors to explore such as the stunning natural beaches or the charming downtown area. Residents here also take advantage of all the outdoor activities available at Santa Cruz Boardwalk and Beach, Wilder Ranch State Park, and Seymour Marine Discovery Center. With its excellent school systems, thriving businesses, and numerous recreational opportunities, it's no wonder why so many people choose to make Santa Cruz their home.

Things to do in Champaign?
Champaign, Illinois is a thriving university town located approximately two hours south of Chicago. It has plenty of recreational facilities ranging from libraries to state parks offering access to Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve or Homer Lake.

 Santa Cruz, CAChampaign, ILUnited States
 Population  Unlock88,343329,725,481
 Median Income$96,217  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock26.938.4
 Avg. Home Price$1,270,800  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.9%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time23.45  Unlock26.38
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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Reviews for Champaign    13 Reviews

Over 6 years ago

Pros - close to Chicago, has Parkland community college and lots of places to eat. There is a train station downtown that is really good. Beautiful deciduous trees and  More

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Over 8 years ago

I wonderful city with great  More

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Actually it's barely a nice place to live. The pros: Not terribly expensive - at one point the least expensive place to live in the country among modest sized  More

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