2025 Compare Cities Overview:
South Lake Tahoe, CA vs Santa Cruz, CA

Change Cities
Highlights
Are people in Santa Cruz older or younger than people in South Lake Tahoe?
- The Median Age in Santa Cruz is 10.0 years younger than in South Lake Tahoe.

Are housing costs cheaper in Santa Cruz or South Lake Tahoe?
- Santa Cruz housing costs are 93.2% more expensive than South Lake Tahoe housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Santa Cruz or South Lake Tahoe?
- The average commute for residents of Santa Cruz is 7.0 minutes longer than it is for residents of South Lake Tahoe.

Things to do in South Lake Tahoe?
South Lake Tahoe, CA lies on the California/Nevada state line at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The area offers beautiful views of Lake Tahoe as well as skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports in nearby ski resorts such as Squaw Valley USA or Alpine Meadows Ski Resort.

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.

 South Lake Tahoe, CASanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock62,714329,725,481
 Median Income$57,976  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock2938.4
 Avg. Home Price$657,600  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.5%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time16.48  Unlock26.38
Reviews for South Lake Tahoe    10 Reviews

Over 5 years ago

Pretty boring town. Very run down and seedy too. Lake is nothing special either. I much prefer the Pacific coast or even the Atlantic coast or great  More

   |    Reply

Seriously I don't get what the big deal about this dump is everything is grossly overpriced scenery is boring and not at all interesting very boring nothing to do very  More

   |    Reply

Over 5 years ago

Beautiful place to live. This site has most of the details wrong, has somehow lumped it together with Sacramento. Elevation is 6250 feet at the lake. Weather is cold in  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of South Lake Tahoe

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

   |    Reply

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

   |    Reply

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

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Santa Cruz


Premium Subscription
Includes Cost of Living compares for child care, utilities, transportation, health, taxes, housing for home owners vs renters, weather, insurance premiums and so much more.


The premier source for comprehensive city data for over 30 years.

© Best Places. All rights reserved.