2025 Compare Cities Rankings:
Santa Cruz, CA vs Urbandale, IA

#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 Secure Places to Live in the U.S. (Large Metro Areas)

#6 The Best Cities to Relocate to in America

#12 America's Migraine Hot Spots

#19 Most Secure Places to Live 2011 (Large Metros)

#20 Most Secure Large Cities in the U.S.

#35 Best Block Party Places

#52 2005 Best Places to Live

#54 Most Comfortable Summer Cities

#67 America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Mid-Size Metro Areas)

#88 Most Popular Cities for the Holidays

#93 Drought-Riskiest Cities

#145 Best Green 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 have lived in Urbandale for 10 years and I love it here. Urbandale is a great suburb to the capital city Des Moines. We are on the city border to Des Moines, Waukee,  More