Home project costs in Santa Cruz, CA
Every project we cover, priced for the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro with local BLS wages and BEA price levels.
Santa Cruz sits 11th of 300 metros on BEA's regional price index, at 109.9 where the US is 100. Goods, the index that drives materials, is 105.2 (29th). The metro has about 98,500 jobs in BLS's May 2025 survey.
Not every job moves the same way here: 38 of the 38 projects price above the national midpoint and 0 below. French drain (+19%), composite deck (+18%) and asphalt driveway (+18%) sit highest, and attic insulation (+5%), shower pan (+7%) and kitchen backsplash (+7%) sit lowest. Labor-heavy work tracks local wages; materials-heavy work tracks the goods index.
Weather: the nearest NOAA station (Santa Cruz, 2 miles away) shows a January average low of 41°F, a July average high of 74°F and 31 inches of precipitation a year (1991-2020 normals). For concrete pours, every month is workable; for exterior installation, every month is workable.
What local trades earn in Santa Cruz
| Trade | Projects using it | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 25 | $22.82 | $28.13 | $36.00 | $22.66 | 1.24 |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 23 | $29.80 | $37.35 | $44.34 | $29.12 | 1.28 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 10 | $29.43 | $36.36 | $46.56 | $28.78 | 1.26 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 7 | $29.11 | $32.75 | $46.02 | $30.67 | 1.07 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 6 | $25.00 | $28.95 | $35.81 | $27.41 | 1.06 |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 6 | $29.55 | $36.83 | $46.35 | $30.38 | 1.21 |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 5 | $24.89 | $28.73 | $38.88 | $26.77 | 1.07 |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 5 | $27.47 | $29.64 | $33.51 | $26.65 | 1.11 |
Concrete & paving in Santa Cruz
Across these 7 projects, Santa Cruz averages +13% against national midpoints. Asphalt driveway is highest at +18% and stamped concrete lowest at +9%.
| Project | Size | Santa Cruz range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete slab cost in Santa Cruz | 400 sq ft | $2,700 – $5,700 | +10% |
| Concrete driveway cost in Santa Cruz | 600 sq ft | $4,050 – $10,400 | +12% |
| Asphalt driveway cost in Santa Cruz | 600 sq ft | $3,550 – $8,850 | +18% |
| Gravel driveway cost in Santa Cruz | 1,000 sq ft | $2,900 – $11,700 | +15% |
| Paver patio cost in Santa Cruz | 300 sq ft | $3,400 – $6,200 | +14% |
| Concrete patio cost in Santa Cruz | 300 sq ft | $1,350 – $4,450 | +11% |
| Stamped concrete cost in Santa Cruz | 400 sq ft | $3,550 – $8,700 | +9% |
Decks & outdoor in Santa Cruz
Across these 2 projects, Santa Cruz averages +17% against national midpoints. Composite deck is highest at +18% and wood deck lowest at +15%.
| Project | Size | Santa Cruz range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck cost in Santa Cruz | 300 sq ft | $8,700 – $17,400 | +15% |
| Composite deck cost in Santa Cruz | 300 sq ft | $14,300 – $28,600 | +18% |
Building & additions in Santa Cruz
The 2 jobs here average +15% versus the US in Santa Cruz, from +13% (detached garage) to +16% (home addition).
| Project | Size | Santa Cruz range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached garage cost in Santa Cruz | 576 sq ft | $32,800 – $65,900 | +13% |
| Home addition cost in Santa Cruz | 300 sq ft | $44,100 – $89,300 | +16% |
Doors & windows in Santa Cruz
Across these 5 projects, Santa Cruz averages +10% against national midpoints. Storm door is highest at +12% and window replacement lowest at +7%.
| Project | Size | Santa Cruz range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garage door cost in Santa Cruz | 1 door | $780 – $4,050 | +10% |
| Storm door cost in Santa Cruz | 1 door | $400 – $1,050 | +12% |
| Front door cost in Santa Cruz | 1 door | $580 – $2,700 | +10% |
| Window replacement cost in Santa Cruz | 10 windows | $4,850 – $16,100 | +7% |
| Patio door cost in Santa Cruz | 1 door | $660 – $6,700 | +11% |
Fencing in Santa Cruz
Across these 4 projects, Santa Cruz averages +14% against national midpoints. Chain-link fence is highest at +18% and vinyl fence lowest at +10%.
| Project | Size | Santa Cruz range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood fence cost in Santa Cruz | 150 linear ft | $3,500 – $8,700 | +14% |
| Vinyl fence cost in Santa Cruz | 150 linear ft | $4,950 – $10,100 | +10% |
| Chain-link fence cost in Santa Cruz | 150 linear ft | $1,750 – $7,300 | +18% |
| Aluminum fence cost in Santa Cruz | 150 linear ft | $4,300 – $12,800 | +12% |
Roofing & exterior in Santa Cruz
Across these 5 projects, Santa Cruz averages +11% against national midpoints. Vinyl siding is highest at +16% and attic insulation lowest at +5%.
| Project | Size | Santa Cruz range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement cost in Santa Cruz | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,750 – $13,700 | +10% |
| Metal roof cost in Santa Cruz | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $11,500 – $35,800 | +11% |
| Gutters cost in Santa Cruz | 160 linear ft | $1,450 – $4,650 | +11% |
| Vinyl siding cost in Santa Cruz | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $9,750 – $29,200 | +16% |
| Attic insulation cost in Santa Cruz | 1,000 sq ft | $1,050 – $4,200 | +5% |
Kitchen & bath in Santa Cruz
The 5 jobs here average +10% versus the US in Santa Cruz, from +7% (shower pan) to +15% (kitchen cabinets).
| Project | Size | Santa Cruz range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen cabinets cost in Santa Cruz | 25 linear ft | $4,750 – $16,300 | +15% |
| Shower pan cost in Santa Cruz | 1 pan | $990 – $3,000 | +7% |
| Kitchen remodel cost in Santa Cruz | 120 sq ft | $20,100 – $34,200 | +9% |
| Bathroom remodel cost in Santa Cruz | 45 sq ft | $5,250 – $26,000 | +11% |
| Kitchen backsplash cost in Santa Cruz | 30 sq ft | $320 – $1,600 | +7% |
Landscaping & drainage in Santa Cruz
The 5 jobs here average +13% versus the US in Santa Cruz, from +11% (retaining wall) to +19% (French drain).
| Project | Size | Santa Cruz range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain cost in Santa Cruz | 60 linear ft | $710 – $2,500 | +19% |
| Retaining wall cost in Santa Cruz | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,950 – $14,800 | +11% |
| Sod installation cost in Santa Cruz | 1,500 sq ft | $1,700 – $3,700 | +12% |
| Sprinkler system cost in Santa Cruz | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,450 – $11,200 | +12% |
| Inground pool cost in Santa Cruz | 450 sq ft | $40,900 – $127,500 | +13% |
Flooring & interior in Santa Cruz
Across these 3 projects, Santa Cruz averages +10% against national midpoints. Hardwood flooring is highest at +12% and tile flooring lowest at +7%.
| Project | Size | Santa Cruz range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring cost in Santa Cruz | 500 sq ft | $6,200 – $14,000 | +12% |
| Laminate flooring cost in Santa Cruz | 500 sq ft | $2,250 – $7,800 | +12% |
| Tile flooring cost in Santa Cruz | 200 sq ft | $2,600 – $10,700 | +7% |
Santa Cruz against its nearest metros
Taking every project together, Santa Cruz comes out +12% versus the national midpoint. Of the 6 closest metros, 2 price higher and 3 lower. Merced is the lowest at +9% (70 miles) and San Francisco the highest at +26% (55 miles). These are unweighted averages of the midpoints, a rough guide to overall price level rather than a number for any one job.
| Metro | Distance | Price index | Goods index | All projects vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz, CAthis page | 109.9 | 105.2 | +12% | |
| San Jose, CA | 35 miles | 110.4 | 105.2 | +23% |
| San Francisco, CA | 55 miles | 115.6 | 108.5 | +26% |
| Salinas, CA | 65 miles | 109.0 | 105.2 | +11% |
| Modesto, CA | 65 miles | 104.1 | 105.2 | +12% |
| Merced, CA | 70 miles | 98.3 | 105.2 | +9% |
| Stockton, CA | 75 miles | 105.1 | 105.2 | +10% |