How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Santa Cruz, CA?

Name: Rent by bedrooms in Santa Cruz, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

In Santa Cruz, CA, the median gross rent for a two-bedroom home is $2,758 (±$112) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey, table B25031).

A one-bedroom home rents for a median of $1,973 (±$167).

A three-bedroom home rents for a median of $3,500 or more.

HUD’s fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA is $4,254.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Studio: $1,634 (±$182)
1 bedroom: $1,973 (±$167)
2 bedrooms: $2,758 (±$112)
3 bedrooms: $3,500 or more

Rent by bedroom count in Santa Cruz

Median gross rent by number of bedrooms, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz County	California	United States
Studio	$1,634 (±$182)	$1,710 (±$88)	$1,598 (±$13)	$1,248
1 bedroom	$1,973 (±$167)	$1,859 (±$88)	$1,780 (±$6)	$1,235
2 bedrooms	$2,758 (±$112)	$2,376 (±$88)	$2,103 (±$6)	$1,407
3 bedrooms	$3,500 or more	$2,925 (±$130)	$2,351 (±$11)	$1,584
4 bedrooms	$2,955 (±$452)	$3,130 (±$471)	$2,809 (±$22)	$1,957
5 or more bedrooms	$3,500 or more	$3,500 or more	$3,121 (±$59)	$2,074

A median for a bedroom size is published only where enough renting households of that size were surveyed; a dash means the Census Bureau did not publish one.

Census rents against HUD’s Fair Market Rent, fiscal year 2027

Dollars a month; the Fair Market Rent is for the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA
	Census median, this place	HUD Fair Market Rent
1 bedroom	$1,973 (±$167)	$3,390
2 bedrooms	$2,758 (±$112)	$4,254
3 bedrooms	$3,500 or more	$5,531

A Fair Market Rent is HUD’s estimate of the gross rent of a modest rental home across the whole HUD area, set for the voucher program; the Census median is what renting households in this place reported paying.

The two answer different questions and are not expected to match.

Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms in places near Santa Cruz

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Santa Cruz
Place	Distance	Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms	Compared with this place
Santa Cruz	—	$2,758 (±$112)	—
Twin Lakes	2.6 mi	$2,821 (±$300)	Not measurably different
Live Oak (community)	3.1 mi	$2,445 (±$277)	Lower
Pleasure Point	3.7 mi	$2,820 (±$336)	Not measurably different
Capitola	4.5 mi	$2,602 (±$220)	Not measurably different
Soquel	5.1 mi	$2,328 (±$357)	Lower
Felton	5.1 mi	$2,756 (±$265)	Not measurably different
Scotts Valley	5.8 mi	$2,426 (±$214)	Lower
Seacliff	6.4 mi	$2,702 (±$185)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Live Oak (community), CA ($2,445), Soquel, CA ($2,328), Scotts Valley, CA ($2,426).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms across Santa Cruz County, place by place

Rank	Place	Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
1	Rio del Mar	$3,015 (±$350)
2	La Selva Beach	$2,917 (±$485)
3	Twin Lakes	$2,821 (±$300)
4	Pleasure Point	$2,820 (±$336)
5	Santa Cruz	$2,758 (±$112)
6	Felton	$2,756 (±$265)
7	Seacliff	$2,702 (±$185)
8	Capitola	$2,602 (±$220)
9	Live Oak (community)	$2,445 (±$277)
10	Scotts Valley	$2,426 (±$214)
11	Soquel	$2,328 (±$357)

Showing 11 of 19 places in Santa Cruz County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Santa Cruz

How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Santa Cruz?

The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Santa Cruz, CA is $1,973 (±$167) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How much is a two-bedroom apartment in Santa Cruz?

The median gross rent for a two-bedroom home in Santa Cruz, CA is $2,758 (±$112) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How much does a three-bedroom rental cost in Santa Cruz?

The median gross rent for a three-bedroom home in Santa Cruz, CA is $3,500 or more a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Santa Cruz city, California (place:69112, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

B25031_002E, B25031_002M, B25031_003E, B25031_003M, B25031_004E, B25031_004M, B25031_005E, B25031_005M, B25031_006E, B25031_006M, B25031_007E, B25031_007M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.