Is Santa Cruz, CA a Good Place to Live?
Yes, Santa Cruz, CA scores 78/100 on MoveScore (grade B, Good), based on 3 of six federal data sources. Air quality grade B, median AQI 36 (EPA AQS).
Sub-Score Breakdown
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Air (EPA AQS) | B · median AQI 36 |
| Fiscal health (Census) | 55/100 |
| Hospitals (CMS HCAHPS) | 5.0/5 · 3 tracked |
MoveScore blends six federal sub-scores, equal-weighted, normalized to 0-100.
This answer pulls from federal datasets including BLS, Census ACS, FBI Crime Data, NOAA Climate Normals, and NCES, the authoritative federal source for U.S. city relocation factors — cost, climate, wages, crime, education. The headline number above is the direct answer; what follows is the additional context most readers need to use the answer for a real decision rather than just a fact lookup.
A practical caveat: the headline answer above reflects the most recent federal datasets including BLS, Census ACS, FBI Crime Data, NOAA Climate Normals, and NCES vintage; underlying data is often revised for months after first publication, and the right reference for any specific decision is whichever vintage is current at the time of the decision. The as-of date is stamped on every page.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (cost), Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, 2026.