Residential comparison · 13 facts
Morgan Hill, CA vs Santa Cruz, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Morgan Hill needs about $85,000 in Santa Cruz to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Santa Cruz, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Morgan Hill.
A few differences
- Morgan Hill is higher on median household income ($163,920 vs $115,475).
- Morgan Hill is lower on cost of living index (168 vs 174).
- Morgan Hill is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,341/mo vs $2,758/mo).
Morgan Hill vs Santa Cruz · facet by facet
| Facet | Morgan Hill, CA | Santa Cruz, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,210,200 | $1,209,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,341/mo | $2,758/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 168 | 174 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $163,920 | $115,475 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Morgan Hill, CA · Santa Cruz, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Morgan Hill cheaper than Santa Cruz?
- Morgan Hill has the lower day-to-day cost index (168 vs 174 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Santa Cruz equals $85,000 in Morgan Hill?
- A household earning $85,000 in Morgan Hill needs about $85,000 in Santa Cruz to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Santa Cruz lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Morgan Hill.