Published April 15, 2026 · By Solaris Property Management · Data sources noted at the end of the report.
Santa Cruz County rentals held steady through the first quarter of 2026. Average asking rent across all property types is $3,820/mo — up 2.3% from Q1 2025 and roughly flat quarter-over-quarter. Vacancy sits at 4.1%, slightly tighter than the prior quarter. Days-on-market for our listings averaged 17 days from list to signed lease, with coastal Capitola, Aptos, and Live Oak properties closing fastest.
The story of the quarter: stability after several years of post-pandemic correction. Owners who reset rents to 2024 levels are filling vacancies quickly. Owners who priced toward 2022 peaks are sitting on market longer — typical days-on-market for those listings runs 35+. This report breaks down rents by city and property type so you can calibrate.
| City | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $2,600 | $3,500 | $5,200 | +2.5% |
| Capitola | $2,750 | $3,700 | $5,600 | +3.1% |
| Aptos | $2,600 | $3,500 | $5,000 | +2.8% |
| Soquel | $2,500 | $3,400 | $4,800 | +2.1% |
| Scotts Valley | $2,500 | $3,300 | $4,700 | +1.8% |
| Live Oak | $2,400 | $3,200 | $4,600 | +2.4% |
| Watsonville | $2,000 | $2,600 | $3,400 | +1.4% |
Figures reflect typical single-family or condo asking rents for properties listed in Q1 2026. Range varies by lot, view, condition, and street.
County-wide vacancy of 4.1% represents a market in equilibrium — neither tight enough to push rents aggressively, nor loose enough to force concessions. Notable differences by city:
Two-bedroom condos within a half-mile of the coast — Capitola Village, Pleasure Point, Rio del Mar, Seacliff — outperformed every other segment, with average days-on-market of 9 days and rents 3-5% higher than this time last year. The driver is renter preference for low-maintenance properties combined with quality of life. Owners considering a sale should also evaluate whether the property pencils better as a long-term rental at current rates than as a sale + reinvestment.
Three takeaways:
This report compiles Solaris Property Management's own placement data (~30 placements per quarter) with public asking-rent data from Zillow Rentals, Apartments.com, and Craigslist scrapes for Santa Cruz County. Vacancy rate is calculated as a 30-day rolling weighted average of available listings per occupied unit. Days-on-market is from list to executed lease, not list to ad removal.
These are market-level averages; your property's number depends on its address, condition, and timing. For an address-specific number, request a free rental analysis.
Quarterly averages are a starting point. A free Solaris rental analysis pulls comps within a quarter-mile of your address and gives you a recommended list rent — usually back within 2 business days.