Santa Cruz County, CA: mortgages, home buyers & loan limits
What buyers in Santa Cruz County actually borrowed, earned and paid in 2025, from the official Home Mortgage Disclosure Act records — plus the 2026 conforming and FHA loan limits.
HMDA 2025 data released June 23, 2026 · Loan limits for calendar year 2026
In 2025, lenders reported 1,056 home-purchase mortgages for owner-occupied, single-family homes in Santa Cruz County, CA. The median buyer borrowed $765,000 on a home valued at $1,055,000 and reported a household income of $242,000.
Buyers financed a median 80% of the home's value (roughly 20% down), paid a median 6.625% on 30-year fixed conventional loans and faced median conventional loan costs of $6,610.
Lenders denied 5.5% of completed home-purchase applications.
Key facts about Santa Cruz County mortgages
- Home buyers' median income ($242,000) is 38% higher than the California median ($175,000).
- Median conventional loan costs ($6,610) were 19% higher than the U.S. median ($5,570).
- FHA loans made up 6.9% of purchase mortgages, versus 21.1% nationally.
- 69.1% of buyers put at least 20% down (financed 80% or less), compared with 38.5% nationally.
- The most common age bracket among borrowers was 35–44 (33.1% of purchase loans).
- 37.1% of purchase mortgages had a single borrower with no co-applicant.
- The most-cited reason for denial was debt-to-income ratio (34.9% of denials with a stated reason).
National rank among 1,994 counties with at least 100 purchase loans: median income of home buyers 11th · median home-purchase loan 9th · median conventional loan costs 215th · purchase application denial rate 1685th. See rankings.
2026 loan limits in Santa Cruz County
| Property | Conforming 2026 | vs 2025 | FHA 2026 | vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 unit | $1,249,125 | +$70,375 | $1,249,125 | +$39,375 |
| 2 units | $1,599,375 | +$90,325 | $1,599,375 | +$50,400 |
| 3 units | $1,933,200 | +$109,150 | $1,933,200 | +$60,975 |
| 4 units | $2,402,625 | +$135,725 | $2,402,625 | +$75,750 |
2026 limits for Santa Cruz County, CA: conforming (Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac) from FHFA; FHA forward-mortgage limits from HUD. FHA treats this county as a high-cost area (limit above the national floor). Loans above the conforming limit are "jumbo" loans.
All California counties: California 2026 loan limits. FHFA and HUD normally announce the next year's limits in late November.
Who bought homes in Santa Cruz County
Home-purchase mortgages for owner-occupied, single-family (1–4 unit) site-built homes, first liens, originated in 2025.
Values are medians; "middle half" is the 25th to 75th percentile.
Loan type
What the homes were for
All first-lien, closed-end purchase mortgages, including second homes and investors.
Borrower age
Debt-to-income ratio
Monthly debts (including the new payment) as a share of income, as used in underwriting.
What borrowing cost in Santa Cruz County
Medians for 2025 home-purchase loans. Total loan costs are section D of the Loan Estimate/Closing Disclosure (lender and third-party loan charges, excluding taxes, prepaids and escrow). FHA and VA costs include the upfront mortgage insurance premium or VA funding fee, so compare like with like.
| Measure | Santa Cruz County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-year fixed rate · conventional | 6.625% | 6.625% | 6.625% |
| 30-year fixed rate · FHA | 6.125% | 6.125% | 6.250% |
| 30-year fixed rate · VA | 6.125% | 6.124% | 6.125% |
| 15-year fixed rate · conventional | — | 5.750% | 5.875% |
| Rate spread vs. APOR · conventional | +0.11 pts | +0.09 pts | +0.13 pts |
| Total loan costs · conventional | $6,610 | $7,920 | $5,570 |
| Total loan costs · FHA | $21,450 | $17,220 | $11,310 |
| Total loan costs · VA | $14,630 | $8,600 | $6,490 |
| Origination charges (all loan types) | $2,180 | $2,350 | $1,860 |
| Borrowers paying discount points | 46.0% | 47.2% | 51.3% |
| Points paid, when paid (% of loan) | 0.71% | 0.78% | 0.87% |
| Borrowers receiving lender credits | 36.1% | 39.8% | 33.1% |
| Adjustable-rate mortgages | 12.8% | 14.4% | 7.4% |
| Jumbo loans (above conforming limit) | 14.3% | 11.8% | 3.8% |
Medians are shown only when at least 30 loans report the field. Rates are those reported at closing; market rates changed during 2025, which the rate spread (APR minus the average prime offer rate on the lock date) adjusts for.
Approvals and denials
Santa Cruz County: 63 of 1,146 completed home-purchase applications were denied (5.5%).
Denial rate
| Application | Santa Cruz County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home purchase | 5.5% | 8.9% | 8.5% |
| Conventional | 4.9% | 8.2% | 7.1% |
| FHA | 10.6% | 11.4% | 12.5% |
| VA | 10.0% | 8.7% | 8.0% |
| USDA | — | 23.8% | 12.5% |
| Refinance | 14.1% | 17.5% | 17.9% |
| Cash-out refinance | 26.5% | 31.5% | 33.6% |
Main reason for purchase denials
First reason the lender reported.
Denial rate = denied ÷ (originated + approved but not accepted + denied). Withdrawn and incomplete applications are excluded. Differences between places reflect who applies, not only lender behavior.
Refinancing in Santa Cruz County
Top mortgage lenders in Santa Cruz County
183 lenders originated at least one home-purchase or refinance loan here in 2025. The table ranks them by loan count; pricing columns compare conventional purchase loans only.
| # | Lender | Loans | Share | Denial rate | 30-yr rate* | Spread* | Costs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CrossCountry Mortgage, Inc. | 245 | 14.8% | 1.0% | 6.750% | +0.20 | $6,270 |
| 2 | Rocket Mortgage, LLC | 185 | 11.2% | 6.0% | 6.625% | +0.05 | $6,190 |
| 3 | United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) | 136 | 8.2% | 7.0% | 6.542% | +0.13 | $8,240 |
| 4 | Bay | 98 | 5.9% | 4.2% | 6.875% | +0.20 | — |
| 5 | Mason McDuffie Mortgage Corporation | 68 | 4.1% | 7.4% | 6.625% | +0.27 | $9,260 |
| 6 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | 49 | 3.0% | 15.4% | — | −0.04 | $6,420 |
| 7 | Guild Mortgage Company | 48 | 2.9% | 2.1% | 6.625% | +0.28 | $12,000 |
| 8 | U.S. Bank, N.A. | 48 | 2.9% | 3.3% | — | −0.10 | $5,940 |
| 9 | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. | 44 | 2.7% | 12.9% | 6.500% | −0.24 | $6,710 |
| 10 | Pennymac Loan Services, LLC | 34 | 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| 11 | Premier Mortgage Resources, L.L.C. | 33 | 2.0% | 0.0% | 6.625% | +0.09 | $8,870 |
| 12 | Rate | 27 | 1.6% | 5.0% | — | — | — |
| 13 | Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC | 25 | 1.5% | — | — | — | — |
| 14 | Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc. | 24 | 1.5% | 0.0% | — | — | — |
| 15 | ML Mortgage Corp. | 21 | 1.3% | — | — | — | — |
| 16 | Bank of America, N.A. | 18 | 1.1% | — | — | — | — |
| 17 | Star ONE Credit Union | 17 | 1.0% | — | — | — | — |
| 18 | CMG Mortgage, Inc. | 17 | 1.0% | — | — | — | — |
| 19 | loanDepot.com, LLC | 16 | 1.0% | — | — | — | — |
| 20 | The Golden 1 | 15 | 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
| 21 | BMO Bank, N.A. | 14 | 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
| 22 | Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. | 14 | 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
| 23 | Mr. Cooper | 14 | 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
| 24 | Nexera Holding LLC | 13 | 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| 25 | Kind Lending, LLC | 13 | 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
Lenders in Santa Cruz County, CA. Loans = home-purchase, refinance and cash-out originations (2025); share = share of those loans here; denial rate = home-purchase applications. *Medians for conventional home-purchase loans, shown with at least 20 loans; spread = APR minus the average prime offer rate at rate lock (percentage points); costs = total loan costs (section D).
Check a quote for Santa Cruz County
Is my Loan Estimate high?
Compare your origination charges and total loan costs with 2025 loans of the same type and size in California and Santa Cruz County.
Monthly payment calculator
Principal, interest, property tax (0.64% typical effective rate here) and insurance, with Santa Cruz County defaults.
Typical effective property-tax rate 0.64% = median real estate taxes ÷ median home value, U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
Nearby counties
| County | Distance | Purchase loans | Median loan | Buyer income | Conforming limit | FHA limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara County, CA | 23 mi | 8,998 | $1,135,000 | $358,000 | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| San Mateo County, CA | 34 mi | 3,597 | $1,095,000 | $356,000 | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Alameda County, CA | 44 mi | 8,325 | $805,000 | $255,000 | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| San Benito County, CA | 58 mi | 513 | $675,000 | $179,000 | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Contra Costa County, CA | 63 mi | 7,646 | $645,000 | $200,000 | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Monterey County, CA | 66 mi | 1,409 | $655,000 | $185,000 | $994,750 | $994,750 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 2026 conforming loan limit in Santa Cruz County?
$1,249,125 for a one-unit home (FHFA). Two- to four-unit limits are $1,599,375, $1,933,200, $2,402,625. Loans above the limit are jumbo loans and are not eligible for purchase by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
What is the 2026 FHA loan limit in Santa Cruz County?
$1,249,125 for a one-unit home (HUD). Santa Cruz County is an FHA high-cost area; HUD's median price used to set the limit is $1,100,000.
How much do home buyers in Santa Cruz County earn?
The median household income reported on 2025 home-purchase mortgages was $242,000; the middle half of buyers reported $167,000 to $346,000.
What mortgage rate did buyers in Santa Cruz County get in 2025?
The median rate on 30-year fixed conventional purchase loans was 6.625%; FHA borrowers paid a median 6.125%. These are rates locked during 2025; check today's rates with several lenders.
How often are mortgage applications denied in Santa Cruz County?
5.5% of completed home-purchase applications were denied in 2025; the most common stated reason was debt-to-income ratio.
Sources: FFIEC/CFPB HMDA 2025 public loan/application register (Snapshot as of June 1, 2026); FHFA 2026 conforming loan limits; HUD 2026 FHA forward-mortgage limits; U.S. Census Bureau. Figures describe typical 2025 loans, not your offer. Methodology