2025 Compare Cities Rankings:
Santa Cruz, CA vs Rapid City, SD

#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

#9 Best Cities After Military Service

#13 Most Secure Places to Live 2011 (Small Towns)

#14 Most Secure Places to Live in the U.S. (Small Towns)

#81 America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Smallest Metro Areas)

#100 America's Most (and Least) Stressful Cities (117 Smallest Metro Areas)

#117 Best Green Cities

#284 2005 Best Places to Live

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 have lived in this city for the last three and half years and I can't stand it!! Let me spell it out for you, but to be fair, let me give you the Pros first:  More

Unless you made your pension out of state or already bought a home you can't afford to liver there. Rapid City is gray in winter.  More

I've lived in the city 5 years a loved  More