County FMR · HUD FY2026

Santa Cruz County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Santa Cruz County, CA - 244% above the US average.

$3,298
1-bedroom FMR
$4,214
2-bedroom FMR
+2.4%
YoY change
+244%
vs US avg

The verdict

Santa Cruz is the 1st most expensive of 58 counties in California by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #31 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#31
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#1
most expensive of 58 in California (2BR)
+100%
vs the state average
$131,920
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (23.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (106.9%); only 2 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold; nearby California counties range as much as 68% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Santa Cruz County, CA. Verify with HUD →

Santa Cruz County, California carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $3,298 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $4,214/mo and a studio is $3,179/mo. That's 244% above the national benchmark of $959 and 100% above the California average of $1,647.

Rent increased2.4% from FY 2025 ($3,221), outpacing inflation. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $131,920/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in California. Population: 268,571. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-2.8%, Census ACS). That's slower than California's statewide growth of +0.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area SANTA·CRUZ·COUNTY·CA·CA

Santa Cruz County, CA: $3,298/mo 1BR · #31 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA CA
  • 1BR-FMR $3,298
  • 2BR-FMR $4,214
  • RANK-UPPER #31
  • YOY-UP +2.4%
  • VSUS-HIGH +244%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +100% CA
  • INC-STRETCH 36%
  • POP-MAJOR 269K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Los Angeles County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $2,968–$3,628
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Los Angeles ($1,213 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,513 · US avg: $893
$3,179/mo
↑ 4.0% YoY +110% vs state +256% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,647 · US avg: $959
$3,298/mo
↑ 2.4% YoY +100% vs state +244% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $2,053 · US avg: $1,175
$4,214/mo
↓ 0.2% YoY +105% vs state +259% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $2,752 · US avg: $1,525
$5,377/mo
↑ 2.3% YoY +95% vs state +253% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $3,165 · US avg: $1,756
$5,659/mo
↑ 1.0% YoY +79% vs state +222% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $3,056
$3,179
+$123 (+4.0%)
1 Bedroom $3,221
$3,298
+$77 (+2.4%)
2 Bedroom $4,223
$4,214
$-9 (-0.2%)
3 Bedroom $5,256
$5,377
+$121 (+2.3%)
4 Bedroom $5,605
$5,659
+$54 (+1.0%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Santa Cruz County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
34.9%
Burdened
Need $127,160/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
36.2%
Burdened
Need $131,920/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
46.3%
Burdened
Need $168,560/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
59.1%
Severe
Need $215,080/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
62.1%
Severe
Need $226,360/yr for 30% rule
How we calculate this

Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.

0%100%National avg22%46.3%
Santa Cruz County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $109,266 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View California rent burden →

Where Santa Cruz sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$4,214 Top 1% higher than 99% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Below this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Below this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Below this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Below this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Below this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Below this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Below this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Below this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Below this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Below this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Below this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Below this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Below this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). This entry sits in this band. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

How Santa Cruz compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other California counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Santa Cruz is highlighted. Nearby California counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Santa Cruz County (this county) ($3,298), Santa Clara County ($2,982), Orange County ($2,746), San Diego County ($2,459), Los Angeles County ($2,085), Riverside County ($1,777), San Bernardino County ($1,777).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $3,298/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using California BLS wages?

Occupation CA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $170,910 23.2% Affordable
Registered Nurses $140,330 28.2% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $125,240 31.6% Stretched
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $115,400 34.3% Stretched
Elementary School Teachers $98,190 40.3% Stretched
Accountants & Auditors $96,360 41.1% Stretched
Electricians $76,540 51.7% Unaffordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $72,960 54.2% Unaffordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $59,950 66% Unaffordable
Pharmacy Technicians $49,640 79.7% Unaffordable
Customer Service Representatives $47,790 82.8% Unaffordable
Teaching Assistants $45,460 87.1% Unaffordable
Janitors & Cleaners $38,640 102.4% Unaffordable
Retail Salespersons $37,250 106.2% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $37,010 106.9% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (California) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Santa Cruz County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Santa Cruz (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 72.4% overall, from $1,913 to $3,298. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 23.3% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$1,500$2,000$2,500$3,000$3,500 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $3,298
Santa Cruz County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑2.4% $3,179 $3,298 $4,214
FY 2025 ↑4.4% $3,056 $3,221 $4,223
FY 2024 ↑23.3% $2,849 $3,085 $4,054
FY 2023 ↑4.9% $2,212 $2,502 $3,293
FY 2022 ↑4.1% $2,085 $2,385 $3,138
FY 2021 ↑19.8% $1,993 $2,292 $3,021
FY 2020 $1,641 $1,913 $2,519
Total change (6yr): +72.4%
Annualized: +9.5%/yr
1 BR: $1,913 → $3,298

Part of the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area

Santa Cruz County is a central county of the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Santa Cruz County, both outside California so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside CA (FY2026).

Nantucket County
MA · 2 BR $3,138/mo
Suffolk County
MA · 2 BR $2,941/mo
Middlesex County
MA · 2 BR $2,941/mo
Essex County
MA · 2 BR $2,941/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside CA).

Kings County
NY · 44.5% of income · 2 BR $2,910/mo
Randolph County
GA · 48.5% of income · 2 BR $1,028/mo
Greene County
AL · 43.4% of income · 2 BR $1,140/mo
Miami-Dade County
FL · 42.6% of income · 2 BR $2,436/mo

Nearby Counties in California

Largest counties by population in California

Showing the 8 largest of 57 other counties in California.

Los Angeles County
1 BR: $2,085/mo Pop: 9,936,690
San Diego County
1 BR: $2,459/mo Pop: 3,289,701
Orange County
1 BR: $2,746/mo Pop: 3,175,227
Riverside County
1 BR: $1,777/mo Pop: 2,429,487
San Bernardino County
1 BR: $1,777/mo Pop: 2,180,563
Santa Clara County
1 BR: $2,982/mo Pop: 1,916,831
Alameda County
1 BR: $2,385/mo Pop: 1,663,823
Sacramento County
1 BR: $1,832/mo Pop: 1,579,211
View all counties in California →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Santa Cruz County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Santa Cruz County is $3,298 per month. A 2-bedroom is $4,214 and a studio is $3,179.
How does Santa Cruz County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Santa Cruz County is 244% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $3,298 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Santa Cruz County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Santa Cruz County's 2-bedroom FMR of $4,214 ranks #31 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Santa Cruz County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $131,920 ($10,993/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Santa Cruz County.
Is rent going up or down in Santa Cruz County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Santa Cruz County increased by 2.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $3,221 to $3,298.
Which jobs can afford rent in Santa Cruz County? ▼
Based on California BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $3,298/mo. 2 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Santa Cruz County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Santa Cruz County went from $1,913 in FY 2020 to $3,298 in FY 2026, a total change of +72.4% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Santa Cruz County? ▼
In Santa Cruz County, the FY 2026 FMR of $3,298/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Santa Cruz County? ▼
For Santa Cruz County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($3,298/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.