Moving from San Francisco, CA to Santa Cruz, CA?
The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.
Is San Francisco or Santa Cruz Safer?
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Santa Cruz is safer than San Francisco (Safety Score 17/100 vs 6/100), with a total crime rate of 3,128 per 100,000 versus 4,526 for San Francisco — 31% lower. San Francisco has higher rates in 2 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in robbery, where Santa Cruz has a 62% lower rate.
Note: San Francisco is 13.1x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than San Francisco, CA?
San Francisco — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Santa Cruz — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
San Francisco, CA
Santa Cruz, CA
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | San Francisco | Santa Cruz | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 4,525.6 | 3,128.2 | +1,397.4 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 596.5 | 612.9 | -16.4 |
| Murder Rate | 4.4 | 4.9 | -0.5 |
| Rape Rate | 34.9 | 42.4 | -7.5 |
| Robbery Rate | 267.2 | 102.7 | +164.5 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 290.1 | 463.0 | -172.9 |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,929.1 | 2,515.2 | +1,413.9 |
| Burglary Rate | 637.5 | 135.3 | +502.2 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 2,618.9 | 2,221.8 | +397.1 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 672.7 | 158.1 | +514.6 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.
Moving from San Francisco, CA to Santa Cruz, CA?
The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Francisco or Santa Cruz safer?
Santa Cruz is safer with a total crime rate of 3,128 per 100K vs 4,526 for San Francisco — a 31% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
San Francisco has a violent crime rate of 596.5 per 100K while Santa Cruz has 612.9. San Francisco has lower violent crime.
About San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, a vibrant Northern California port city renowned for its iconic Golden Gate Bridge, spans a hilly peninsula. Home to a diverse population of nearly 850,000, it was a pivotal center of the counterculture movement in the 1960s. With a safety score of 6/100 and a population coverage of 802,856, San Francisco has a total crime rate of 4,525.6 per 100,000 residents.
About Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz, California, a coastal city known for its historic Beach Boardwalk, sits on Monterey Bay. It's home to a significant student population, including the University of California, Santa Cruz. With a safety score of 17/100 and a population coverage of 61,346, Santa Cruz has a total crime rate of 3,128.2 per 100,000 residents.