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US City Data

La Mesa vs Santa Cruz

Side-by-side comparison

How does La Mesa, CA compare to Santa Cruz, CA? La Mesa has a population of 60,835 with a median household income of $84,337, while Santa Cruz has 60,953 residents and a median income of $111,427. Below you'll find a detailed breakdown of demographics, economy, and housing for both cities.

Population & Demographics
MetricLa Mesa, CASanta Cruz, CADifference
Population60,83560,953-0.2%
Median Age37.130.7+20.8%
Foreign Born %14.2%12.8%+10.9%
Economy
MetricLa MesaSanta CruzDifference
Median Income$84,337$111,427-24.3%
Unemployment6.3%6.3%0.0%
Poverty Rate11.7%17.6%-33.5%
Bachelor's+38.4%57.7%-33.4%
Housing
MetricLa MesaSanta CruzDifference
Home Value$738,800$1,180,100-37.4%
Median Rent$1958/mo$2302/mo-14.9%
Housing Units26,42023,778+11.1%

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La Mesa, CA ProfileSanta Cruz, CA ProfileCost of Living in CaliforniaMore ComparisonsCity Rankings