2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Santa Cruz, CA vs Redwood City, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Redwood City older or younger than people in Santa Cruz?
- The Median Age in Redwood City is 8.0 years older than in Santa Cruz.

Are housing costs cheaper in Redwood City or Santa Cruz?
- Redwood City housing costs are 26.7% more expensive than Santa Cruz housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Redwood City or Santa Cruz?
- The average commute for residents of Redwood City is 1.9 minutes longer 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 Redwood City?
Redwood City, California is located in the San Francisco Bay Area and provides plenty of shopping opportunities as well as access to some gorgeous nature parks like Edgewood Open Space Preserve.

 Santa Cruz, CARedwood City, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock83,905329,725,481
 Median Income$96,217  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock3738.4
 Avg. Home Price$1,270,800  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.4%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 Redwood City    11 Reviews

(Caveating everything with "it's Bay Area prices") Redwood City is a large sprawling town where you can find just about anything you're looking for. There's great  More

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The entire Bay Area is ridiculous. You can't compare it to other areas. RWC is reasonably cheap for the area. I pay $5K for a rental townhouse in one of the many  More

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Lovely weather. Safe place to live (I live in Redwood Shores). The only thing that keeps this place from being 5 stars is the cost of housing. When you have to pay an  More

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