Santa Cruz County, California
22 ZIP codes · Avg score 73/100 · Grade B · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Santa Cruz County: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Covering 22 ZIP codes, Santa Cruz County earns a high grade for tap water - most systems report zero health-based violations, and the overall compliance rate comfortably exceeds federal benchmarks.
How Santa Cruz County Compares
How Santa Cruz County Compares
Santa Cruz County scores 3 points below the California state average (76/100) and 0 points above the national average (73/100).
Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: Santa Cruz County, California
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 10.8 (asthma 9.8%, diabetes 10.2%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $3,436, driven primarily by flood
76.9% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2021–2025)
↑ Worsening trendEPA violation counts by year across Santa Cruz County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2024 with 55 violations. Past 5 years: 90 total (90 health-based). Health-based violations are rising versus the prior 2-year window - worth closer monitoring.
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
County Health Indicators vs National Average
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $3,436
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
111,762 housing units in Santa Cruz County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Santa Cruz County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Santa Cruz County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Health Outcomes vs National Average
CDC PLACES data for Santa Cruz County residents
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water systems serving Santa Cruz County
8 community water systems serving Santa Cruz County.
- B
- C
- C
- C
- B
- C
Show all 8 water systems
- C
- C
18 total water systems serve Santa Cruz County.
Systems with the most violations in Santa Cruz County
5 water systems with recorded EPA violations.
- D
- D
- C
- C
- B
All ZIP Codes in Santa Cruz County
22 ZIP codes tracked in Santa Cruz County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 95003 | Aptos | 83 | B | 1 | $1154K |
| 2 | 95010 | Capitola | 83 | B | 0 | $782K |
| 3 | 95062 | Santa Cruz | 83 | B | 0 | $1065K |
| 4 | 95064 | Santa Cruz | 83 | B | 0 | $438K |
| 5 | 95073 | Soquel | 77 | B | 10 (3 health) | $1012K |
| 6 | 95005 | Ben Lomond | 75 | B | 5 (2 health) | $959K |
| 7 | 95007 | Brookdale | 75 | B | 5 (2 health) | $790K |
| 8 | 95018 | Felton | 71 | B | 8 (3 health) | $778K |
| 9 | 95006 | Boulder Creek | 68 | C | 18 (3 health) | $779K |
| 10 | 95060 | Santa Cruz | 68 | C | 18 (3 health) | $1189K |
| 11 | 95019 | Freedom | 67 | C | 0 | $678K |
| 12 | 95066 | Scotts Valley | 67 | C | 14 (4 health) | $1113K |
| 13 | 95076 | Watsonville | 64 | C | 4 | $767K |
| 14 | 95033 | Los Gatos | 53 | D | 23 (5 health) | $1285K |
| 15 | 95001 | Aptos | — | — | — | |
| 16 | 95017 | Davenport | — | — | 12 (1 health) | $993K |
| 17 | 95041 | Mount Hermon | — | — | 8 (3 health) | $1060K |
| 18 | 95061 | Santa Cruz | — | — | — | |
| 19 | 95063 | Santa Cruz | — | — | — | |
| 20 | 95065 | Santa Cruz | — | — | 0 | $1192K |
| 21 | 95067 | Scotts Valley | — | — | — | |
| 22 | 95077 | Watsonville | — | — | — |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Santa Cruz County
Editorial methodology pairs each documented risk in this county with the buyer category that addresses it, drawing on water-quality detections, housing-stock lead exposure, EPA Radon Zone designation, and FEMA flood and wildfire ratings. NSF-certified options surface where applicable, and products that match the specific contaminant take priority.
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 76.9% of homes built before 1978
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
- Best Sump Pumps — Flood is the top compound risk factor
- Best Mold Test Kits — Flood-driven moisture and mold risk
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Santa Cruz County, California
Overview
Santa Cruz County in California covers 22 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of B (73/100) across 14 scored records.
12 of 17 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 9 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
← Back to California Home Safety Profile
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- PFAS screening: EPA UCMR 5
- Radon zones: EPA Map of Radon Zones
- Air quality: EPA AirData annual AQI
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.