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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Santa Cruz County, California

Santa Cruz County has an effective property tax rate of 0.64%. On the median home value of $1,027,500, that's roughly $6,538 per year. Median household income is $111,093.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.64%
median tax $6,538 ÷ median home $1,027,500
Median Home Value1
$1,027,500
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$111,093
per-capita $56,941
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$6,538
at 0.64% effective rate

What you'll pay, at a glance

Property taxes are the largest local tax most homeowners pay. The effective rate measures the real tax bill as a share of home value — a more useful number than the nominal “mill rate,” because assessment practices vary county to county.

MetricSanta Cruz CountyCalifornia (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.64%0.70%
Median home value1$1,027,500—
State income tax3top rate 13.30%top rate 13.30%
State sales tax39.03% combined9.03% combined

How this is calculated

The effective property tax rate is the median real-estate tax bill divided by the median home value — both for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-year estimates)1. Median income is also from the ACS1. Federal and state income-tax figures use IRS2 and Tax Foundation3 data.

About Santa Cruz County, CA

Santa Cruz County's effective property tax rate of 0.636% sits below California's statewide median of 0.698% and well beneath the national figure of 0.794%. Among the state's 58 counties, it ranks 51st, placing it near the lower end for tax burden. That rate, applied to a median home value of $1,027,500, yields a median annual real-estate tax bill of $6,538. Households here earn a median of $111,093, while per-capita income reaches $56,941. The county's lower-than-average rate signals that property owners in Santa Cruz, Aptos, Ben Lomond, and elsewhere pay proportionally less of their home's value in taxes than many elsewhere in California or the country, though the high underlying home values keep actual dollar bills substantial. This combination of elevated property worth and a comparatively restrained rate shapes the county's distinctive tax landscape.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Santa Cruz County, CA?
The effective rate is 0.64% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.64% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($1,027,500), the estimated annual bill is about $6,538.
Is Santa Cruz County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 0.70% and the national average near 1.1%.
How does the effective rate differ from my mill rate?
A mill rate is the nominal levy per $1,000 of assessed value. The effective rate reflects what you actually pay after exemptions and assessments — it's the median tax bill as a share of median home value, so it better predicts your real cost.
Will a reassessment raise my tax bill?
Not necessarily. If your home's assessed value rises, your bill can go up, but only if the mill rate and exemptions stay flat. Contact the Santa Cruz County assessor's office to review your current assessment.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment?
Yes. Most counties allow an appeal when you believe the assessed value exceeds the market value. File with the Santa Cruz County assessor within the local deadline, typically with comparable sales as evidence.
Sources
[1] U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2023) — Median home value (B25077), median real-estate taxes (B25103), median household income (B19013), per-capita income (B19301).
[2] IRS — Statistics of Income — County income, AGI, and real-estate taxes paid.
[3] Tax Foundation — State income, sales, corporate, and estate/inheritance tax rates.