Santa Cruz County Property Taxes
Santa Cruz County, California
Effective Tax Rate
0.00%
55.9% above state avgMedian Annual Tax
$0
$525/mo escrow
Estimate Your Tax
Annual Tax
$0
Monthly
$0
Eff. Rate
0.62%
At a Glance
Median Home Value
$1,015,200
State avg ▲ $569,022
Tax w/ Mortgage/yr
$7,178
$598/mo escrow
Tax w/o Mortgage/yr
$4,345
$362/mo
State Tax Rate Rank
#4
of 58 counties (1 = lowest)
Similar tax rates
Data Story
About Property Taxes in Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz taxes more than double U.S.
Santa Cruz County residents pay a median of $6,305 in property taxes—more than double the national median of $2,690. With an effective rate of 0.621%, the county ranks below California's state average of 0.714%, landing in roughly the top 30% nationally.
Below average rate, above average taxes
Santa Cruz County's 0.621% effective rate is notably below California's 0.714% state average, placing it in the lower half of counties. Yet residents still pay $6,305 median annually—$2,260 more than the state average of $4,045—due to higher home values.
More affordable than the Bay Area
Santa Cruz homeowners pay $6,305 annually on a median home worth $1.01 million—substantially less than San Mateo ($9,167) or Santa Clara ($9,766) counties to the north. The county's lower effective rate of 0.621% also beats both neighbors.
A $1.01M home costs $6,305 yearly
The typical Santa Cruz homeowner pays $6,305 in annual property taxes on a median home valued at $1.01 million. Adding mortgage-related assessments brings the total closer to $7,178 for most residents.
Appeals could recover hundreds annually
Many Santa Cruz County homeowners carry outdated or inflated assessed values on their property records. Filing a property tax appeal costs nothing and could reduce your annual taxes, especially if your home's market value has shifted.
How Santa Cruz County Compares
Median Annual Property Tax
Santa Cruz County
0.62%
Effective rate
California Avg
0.71%
Effective rate
National Avg
0.91%
Effective rate
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the property tax rate in Santa Cruz County, California?
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How does Santa Cruz County compare to the California average?
What is the median home value in Santa Cruz County, California?
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How does Santa Cruz County rank for property taxes in California?
Counties with Similar Tax Rates
Nearby Counties
Other Counties in California
Data updated: March 2026
Data from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. Effective tax rate is calculated as median property tax divided by median home value.