Santa Cruz condo prices by ZIP code
Redfin splits its ZIP figures by property type. The table shows condos and townhouses separately for the three Santa Cruz ZIPs and the three nearby ZIPs that buyers most often compare, for the three months to September 30, 2026. For scale, the single-family median in the same period was $1,680,826 in 95060 and $1,524,615 in 95062.
| ZIP | Condo median sale price | Condo sales | Condo median days on market | Townhouse median sale price | Townhouse sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95060 Santa Cruz | $770,977 | 9 | 16 | $817,501 | 6 |
| 95062 Santa Cruz | $631,981 | 6 | 39 | $929,001 | 5 |
| 95065 Santa Cruz | $782,727 | 2 | 64 | $762,501 | 2 |
| 95010 Capitola | $577,483 | 8 | 80 | $926,501 | 2 |
| 95003 Aptos | $1,002,470 | 10 | 71 | $947,001 | 7 |
| 95066 Scotts Valley | $664,980 | 3 | 40 | $890,001 | 7 |
Most of these figures rest on fewer than ten sales, so a single unit can move the median by six figures. Across Santa Cruz County, Redfin's monthly condo median was $801,500 in August 2026 (16 sales) and $591,961 in September 2026 (14 sales), a swing that shows how much the mix of units matters. September county figures may still be revised.
Best areas to buy a condo in Santa Cruz
Condos make up a small part of Santa Cruz's housing. In the city, 9.5% of housing units are single-unit attached homes, which includes townhouses, and 11.1% are in buildings with 20 or more units, which includes apartments as well as condos (Census ACS 2020-2024). The areas below are where those shares and recent sales are highest.
Central Santa Cruz condos (95060)
95060 had the most condo sales of the three city ZIPs, 9 in the three months to September 2026, at a median of $770,977 and 16 days on market. It also has the city's largest stock of big buildings: 10.2% of its 20,417 housing units are in buildings of 20 or more units. Condos here sold faster than anywhere else in the table.
Downtown and the Front Street project (95060)
The city approved a seven-story mixed-use building at 418 to 508 Front Street on January 12, 2021, described on the city's project page as 175 residential condos over 11,498 square feet of ground floor and levee-front commercial space, with 15 units affordable at 50% of area median income and 5 at 80%. The city's page now gives a leasing contact for the building's apartments, so do not count on it as new downtown condo supply; ask planning staff for the current status.
Seabright and the east side (95062)
95062 had a condo median of $631,981 on 6 sales and a townhouse median of $929,001 on 5, with condos taking a median 39 days to sell. The ZIP has the highest share of attached single-unit homes among the three city ZIPs, 12.6%, so townhouse-style units are more common here.
The DeLaveaga area (95065)
Only 4 condos and townhouses sold in 95065 in the three months to September 2026, at medians of $782,727 and $762,501. The ZIP is 75.5% single detached homes, so condo choice is limited and listings can sit: the condo median was 64 days on market.
Live Oak and the county areas (95062)
Unincorporated Live Oak has a similar housing mix to the city: 12.8% attached single-unit homes and 8.8% in buildings of 20 or more units (Census ACS 2020-2024). The 2026-27 property tax rate in the Live Oak tax rate area 82-003 is 1.101988%, slightly below the main city area's 1.128718%, and sales tax is 9.5% against 9.75% in the city.
Capitola condos (95010)
Capitola has the most condo-heavy housing mix nearby: 18.9% of units in 3- or 4-unit buildings and 7.9% in buildings of 20 or more. Its condo median was $577,483 on 8 sales, the lowest in the table, though the median condo took 80 days to sell.
Aptos and Scotts Valley condos (95003 and 95066)
Aptos had the highest condo median in the table, $1,002,470 on 10 sales, with a 71-day median time on market. Scotts Valley was $664,980 on 3 condo sales and $890,001 on 7 townhouse sales.
Below-market-rate condos under Measure O
The City of Santa Cruz's Measure O requires residential developers to set aside part of their units as affordable to moderate, low or very-low income households, with long-term or permanent deed restrictions. Some of those are for-sale units. Income limits and resale rules apply, so read the city's Measure O for-sale pages or email the housing team before you apply.
Is it wise to buy a condo in Santa Cruz now?
It depends on the building more than the market. At Freddie Mac's 30-year average of 7.24% (week of October 29, 2026), a buyer putting 20% down on the 95060 condo median of $770,977 pays about $4,203 a month in principal and interest before HOA dues, tax and insurance. That compares with about $7,362 for the citywide Redfin median of $1,350,357 for all home types. Rent is the other comparison: Zillow's typical Santa Cruz rent was $3,418 a month in September 2026.
Two building-level checks matter most. California sets inspection rules for balconies, decks and other exterior elevated elements in condo buildings; our California balcony inspection law guide explains them. The reserve study and budget show whether the association can pay for that work without a special assessment; our California HOA laws guide covers what associations must disclose. Ask for both before you write an offer.
Financing a Santa Cruz condo: warrantability and FHA
Conventional loans and warrantability
Lenders check the building, not just the buyer. Ask your lender to review the HOA questionnaire early, before your loan contingency runs out, and to tell you whether anything about the project, such as pending litigation, the share of rented units or one owner holding many units, affects the loan or the rate.
FHA approval for Santa Cruz condos
HUD keeps a searchable list of FHA-approved condo projects by location and name. If a building is not on it, a single unit can still qualify in some cases: HUD says the project must be complete, have at least five units and not be a manufactured home, and must meet some of the project rules such as owner-occupancy and financial condition.
VA and jumbo loans
If you plan to use a VA loan, ask the lender to confirm the project's VA status before you write an offer. For any loan, ask for the current conforming loan limit for Santa Cruz County: at the three Santa Cruz ZIP condo medians a 20% down payment leaves a loan of roughly $505,000 to $626,000, while the citywide median for all homes leaves about $1,080,000.
Condo fees and costs in Santa Cruz
- HOA dues. Ask for the current monthly dues, what they cover (water, trash, master insurance, exterior upkeep) and the increases over the last three years.
- Special assessments. Read board minutes for planned balcony, roof or siding work, and whether any of it will be paid by a special assessment.
- Property tax. At the main city rate of 1.128718% (2026-27), a $770,977 purchase with the homeowners' exemption costs about $8,623 a year before parcel taxes and fixed charges. Our Santa Cruz County property tax guide lists each charge.
- Insurance. Ask what the HOA's master policy covers, whether you need your own HO-6 policy for the unit interior, and whether the building has earthquake cover. See our California homeowners insurance guide.
- Utilities. In the City of Santa Cruz, the water department lists $99.48 a month as the typical single-family bill for 5 CCF from July 1, 2026, with higher rates proposed from January 2027. Condos may be billed through the HOA instead.
Santa Cruz condo buyer checklist
- Get the HOA's budget, reserve study, insurance summary and last 12 months of board minutes.
- Ask for the most recent balcony and exterior elevated element inspection report and any repair plan.
- Check the address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and Cal OES MyHazards for flood, earthquake and tsunami layers.
- Ask about rental and short-term rental rules, pet limits and parking.
- Have your lender check the project's loan eligibility and, for FHA, the HUD approved-condo search.
- Compare the unit with recent sales in the same building, not the ZIP median.
For the wider market, see the Santa Cruz homes for sale guide and the Santa Cruz housing market page.