What is the crime rate in Santa Cruz, CA?

In 2025, the Santa Cruz Police Department reported 333 violent crimes and 1,580 property crimes to the FBI.

That is 533 violent and 2,529 property crimes per 100,000 of the 62,473 residents it serves.

Across California the rates were 435 and 1,822.

Nationally they were 330 and 1,552.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Violent per 100,000: 533
Property per 100,000: 2,529
Violent crimes: 333
Property crimes: 1,580

Crime reported by the Santa Cruz Police Department, 2023 to 2025

Offenses known to law enforcement, reported to the FBI; rates per 100,000 residents of the area the department serves
Year	Violent crimes	Violent per 100,000	Property crimes	Property per 100,000	Residents served
2023	404	654	1,560	2,526	61,754
2024	382	623	1,601	2,610	61,346
2025	333	533	1,580	2,529	62,473

Violent crimes reported went from 404 in 2023 to 333 in 2025.

Property crimes reported went from 1,560 in 2023 to 1,580 in 2025.

In a small town a handful of incidents moves these numbers a long way, so one year’s change says little on its own.

Santa Cruz against California and the nation

Crimes per 100,000 residents, 2025
	Violent crime	Property crime
Santa Cruz	533	2,529
Santa Cruz County	320	1,334
California	435	1,822
United States	330	1,552

These are rates per resident; they are not adjusted for visitors, commuters or the size of the area, which raise or lower a town’s figures without changing anybody’s risk.

Crime reported in places near Santa Cruz, 2025

Each place’s own police department; rates per 100,000 residents served
Place	Distance	Violent per 100,000	Property per 100,000
Santa Cruz	—	533	2,529
Capitola	4.5 mi	436	3,467
Scotts Valley	5.8 mi	213	1,594
Watsonville	15 mi	415	993

Neighboring departments count the same offenses the same way, but their areas, populations and visitors differ, so a difference between two towns is a starting point for a question, not an answer.

How to read these numbers

These are offenses known to the police and reported to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program: crimes nobody reported, or that a department did not record, are not in them.

Violent crime is murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property crime is burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson.

A department reports the crimes in the area it polices, which can differ from the town’s boundaries, and the FBI estimates the population it serves.

The FBI asks that these figures not be used to rank places or to judge how safe a neighborhood is: crime depends on many local factors, and the counts describe a whole town, not any street or home.

A year is shown only when the department reported all twelve months.

FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use

What you can do on Seayora in Santa Cruz

One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.

Looking for a place to rent?

Browse homes for rent near Santa Cruz, save the ones you like and apply online.

Browse rentals · Create a renter account

Own or manage a rental?

List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for Santa Cruz beside you.

Create a landlord account · See what landlords get

Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?

Get found by owners and renters near Santa Cruz, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.

Join as a pro · Find a pro

Questions about Santa Cruz