Santa Cruz, CA
Commercial Real Estate Market Trends & Data

$571 Avg asking sale price
$25 Avg asking lease rate
4,618 SF Avg unit lease size
7,339 SF Avg building size for sale
4.74% Average cap rate

Santa Cruz's Demographic Profile

Santa Cruz has 22,100 households and a median income of $100,731, providing context for rent absorption and tenant demand across retail and multifamily assets. A -1% five-year population trend is a key signal for evaluating long-term demand in this market.

Key Demographic Metric Value
Population 59,525
# Households 22,100
Median age 36
Median household income $100,731
Avg household size 2.0
Renter-occupied housing units 12,309
5-year population change -1%

{{marketTabHeadings[activeMarketTab]}} Market Metrics Near Santa Cruz, CA

↻ Updated Monthly

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Nearby Office Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
Santa Cruz $589 5,436 SF 6.11%
Scotts Valley $343 8,883 SF 5.00%
Soquel $617 2,471 SF 6.11%
Nearby Industrial Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
Santa Cruz $614 5,505 SF 1.45%
Scotts Valley $386 10,100 SF 5.00%
Nearby Retail Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size
Santa Cruz $573 6,388 SF
Ben Lomond $376 6,376 SF
Felton $376 6,376 SF
Scotts Valley $1,193 5,650 SF
Soquel $421 4,796 SF
Nearby Multifamily Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
Santa Cruz $502 10,074 SF 5.72%
Ben Lomond $739 2,971 SF 7.04%
Felton $731 2,971 SF 7.04%
Cupertino $713 6,720 SF 3.60%
Campbell $477 6,767 SF 5.37%

Commercial Properties For Sale in Santa Cruz

The listings below reflect how current market pricing and building scale translate into active opportunities available today.
For Sale

Capitola Redevelopment Site

Santa Cruz, CA 95062

  • 0.60 AC Lot
  • 1 Residential Income Lot
  • $5,500,000
For Sale

Sunshine Village Apartments

Santa Cruz, CA 95062

  • 18,360 SF Multifamily
  • 3.30% Cap Rate
  • $10,800,000
For Sale

765 Cedar St

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

  • 8,197 SF Retail Building
  • $3,200,000
For Sale

202 Panetta Ave

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

  • 25,000 SF Flex Building
  • $1,385,000
For Sale

Chanticleer Commons

Santa Cruz, CA 95062

  • 15,890 SF Multifamily
  • 5.08% Cap Rate
  • $7,250,000
For Sale

1125 Pacific Ave

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

  • 10,204 SF Retail Building
  • 4.25% Cap Rate
  • $4,950,000

Average Price For Sale

↻ Updated Monthly

Average Price For Lease

↻ Updated Monthly

Number of Listings

↻ Updated Monthly

Cap Rate

↻ Updated Monthly

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Nearby Commercial Markets

Comparing nearby markets helps investors see whether Santa Cruz pricing and building scale sit above, below, or in line with surrounding areas.

Commercial Markets Avg Cost/SF Average Size
Santa Cruz $571 7,339 SF
Ben Lomond $516 4,263 SF
Felton $516 4,263 SF
Boulder Creek $281 6,714 SF

Multifamily Properties For Sale in Santa Cruz

For Sale

2030 N Pacific Ave

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

  • 191,188 SF Multifamily
  • $915,000
For Sale

Gularte Building

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

  • 23,247 SF Multifamily
  • 5.72% Cap Rate
  • $7,995,000

Regional Demographic Comparison

This comparison places Santa Cruz alongside nearby cities to show how population size, household counts, and income levels differ across the region. Viewing these markets side by side helps investors understand whether local demand and income characteristics are concentrated in Santa Cruz or distributed across surrounding areas.

City Population # Households Age Median Household Income Avg Household Size Renter Occupied Housing Units Five Yr Pop Growth %
Santa Cruz 59,525 22,100 36 $100,731 2 12,309 -1%
Bonny Doon 2,146 787 48 $117,636 3 213 -11%
Ben Lomond 5,530 2,144 47 $107,643 3 571 -5%
Felton 4,072 1,614 45 $110,197 3 459 -5%
Boulder Creek 5,146 2,118 47 $108,313 2 577 -5%

Disclaimer: The figures on this page reflect LoopNet's active commercial listings in Santa Cruz, CA and update as inventory changes. Averages can shift between periods or vary across property types depending on the mix of listings available at a given time, so individual metrics may not reflect broader market trends. These figures are best used as directional benchmarks for early market evaluation. For comprehensive commercial real estate data and analytics, subscribe to CoStar.

FAQs About Commercial Investing in Santa Cruz

View All Commercial Real Estate For Sale in Santa Cruz
Is Santa Cruz a good market for a first-time commercial real estate investor?

Santa Cruz offers commercial properties across a wide range of sizes and price points. By reviewing the market data and benchmarks on this page, first-time investors can better understand what a typical commercial property looks like before committing capital and narrowing in on specific listings.

How can this market data help me decide whether to buy commercial property for my business in Santa Cruz?

The pricing and size metrics on this page help business owners compare the cost of ownership against leasing in Santa Cruz. Typical building sizes and asking prices provide a starting point for evaluating space needs, budget fit, and long term occupancy costs before engaging lenders or brokers.

What should conservative investors focus on when evaluating commercial properties in Santa Cruz?

Conservative investors often prioritize manageable deal sizes, stable pricing ranges, and cap rate benchmarks shown for Santa Cruz. These metrics help assess whether current market conditions support steady income potential without relying on aggressive assumptions.

How does Santa Cruz compare to nearby commercial real estate markets?

Nearby market comparisons highlight differences in pricing, building scale, and cap rate ranges relative to Santa Cruz. Reviewing these side by side helps experienced investors identify relative value, pricing premiums, or alternative markets that may better align with return targets.

How can this page support early-stage deal screening for Santa Cruz acquisitions?

This page provides high-level benchmarks for pricing, deal size, and observed cap rates in Santa Cruz, which are useful for initial market filtering. Institutional and data-driven investors often use these signals to prioritize listings that meet size, pricing, and return thresholds before deeper underwriting.

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