Santa Cruz County, CA Property Tax Rate
Homeowners in Santa Cruz County pay an effective 0.62% of home value in property tax — about $6,294 a year on the median $1,015,200 home, below or near the California county median of 0.70%.
Santa Cruz County, CA: 0.62% effective property tax — ~$6,294/yr on the median home.
- Effective rate0.62%
- Median home value$1,015,200
- Median annual bill$6,294
- CA county median0.70%
- U.S. county median0.84%
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2023 5-year (median taxes paid ÷ median value), compiled June 2026.
Santa Cruz County vs. California and the U.S.
| Effective rate | On the county's $1,015,200 median home | |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz County | 0.62% | $6,294 |
| California county median | 0.70% | $7,106 |
| U.S. county median | 0.84% | $8,528 |
Median household income here is $109,266, putting the median tax bill at about 5.8% of income. Effective rates fold in homestead exemptions and assessment practice — they're what owners actually pay, which is why they beat statutory rates for comparison.
Highest & lowest rates in California
| County | Effective rate | Median bill |
|---|---|---|
| Kern County | 0.91% | $2,826 |
| Placer County | 0.85% | $5,600 |
| Imperial County | 0.84% | $2,348 |
| Contra Costa County | 0.83% | $6,896 |
| Trinity County | 0.54% | $1,777 |
| Del Norte County | 0.59% | $1,886 |
| San Mateo County | 0.61% | $9,116 |
| Santa Cruz County | 0.62% | $6,294 |
Full picture: California property tax calculator · interactive county atlas · all county pages.
Frequently asked questions
What is the property tax rate in Santa Cruz County, CA?
The effective rate is about 0.62% of home value — the median homeowner pays roughly $6,294 a year on a $1,015,200 median home (ACS 2023 five-year data).
Is Santa Cruz County's property tax high?
It's below or near the California county median (0.70%) and below the U.S. county median (0.84%).
How is the effective rate calculated?
Median real-estate taxes paid ÷ median home value, from the Census American Community Survey — what owners actually pay, after exemptions, rather than the statutory millage.
Sources & methodology
Sources: Census ACS 2023 5-year tables B25103/B25077.
Effective rate = median real-estate taxes ÷ median home value (owner-occupied). Individual bills vary with exemptions, assessment timing and local levies — verify with the county assessor.