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Aptos, CA Eviction Risk Score Santa Cruz County · California · Pop. 6,404

Updated
● Moderate Risk

Aptos, CA sits at 4.7/10 — Moderate risk. 24.3% rent burden, 28.9% renters, ~246-day typical timeline.

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Score vs. benchmarks
Aptos
4.7
Santa Cruz County
5.1
California avg
5.5
National avg
4.4
42.9%Tenant-law probabilityi
$17,247–37,487Typical eviction costi
246 daysTypical timelinei
0.94%Filing ratei
$4,223HUD 2BR FMR '25i
$2,059Median renti
24.3%Rent burdeni
28.9%Rentersi

Location & regional heat

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High risk
Heat = surrounding cities. Click any dot to compare.

Sub-score breakdown

Each component on a 1–10 scale. Ticks mark the 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles nationally.

Local political climatei
8.2
Regional political climatei
8.2
State political climate
6.8
Economic stressi
4.4
Supply constrainti
7.8
Rent-control riski
3.0
Eviction process difficulty
6.6
Tenant organizing strengthi
6.5
Housing court bias
2.9
Eviction filing rate (ground truth)i
1.2
Voucher gap (market vs HUD FMR)i
0.0
Own rentals in or near Aptos?
Free consultation — local rent-control exposure, notice requirements, and eviction defense risk.

About eviction risk in Aptos, CA

Aptos, CA has an eviction risk score of 4.7 out of 10, placing it in the moderate-risk tier for landlords operating in Santa Cruz County and the state of California. The score combines local political climate, court disposition patterns, cost-of-eviction estimates, tenant organizing strength, and the likelihood of new tenant-protective legislation in the next legislative cycle.

Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates show median gross rent as a percentage of household income is 24.3% — a core driver of eviction filings, because households above 30% of income on rent are statistically more likely to miss a payment after any income shock. Median gross rent in Aptos is $2,059/month. About 28.9% of occupied units here are renter-occupied.

Economic stress: poverty rate 4.1%, unemployment 4.2%. Higher values correlate with higher eviction filing rates and longer court timelines.

Political climate: In 2020, Santa Cruz County voted Democratic by 60.3 points — classified as strongly tenant-leaning for purposes of rent-control or just-cause expansion risk.

What this score means for landlords

At 4.7/10, Aptos is a lower-risk environment. Standard screening, documented notices, and prompt action on non-payment typically resolve quickly. Still follow your state's specific notice and service requirements.

Nearby Cities — Eviction Risk Comparison

City Distance Population Risk score
Seacliff, CA 1.7 mi 3,299 5.1
Rio del Mar, CA 2.3 mi 9,201 5.2
Soquel, CA 3.1 mi 10,679 5.2
Day Valley, CA 3.1 mi 3,579 4.2
Capitola, CA 3.5 mi 9,689 5.5
Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley, CA 3.7 mi 2,127 5.1
Pleasure Point, CA 4.8 mi 5,489 5.1
La Selva Beach, CA 5.2 mi 2,302 4.8

Landlord Guides & Research Tools

Deepen your research with these guides. The metrics powering this score feed directly into each breakdown.

Landlord Guides for California

Eviction Costs — California →
Filing fees, attorney fees, lost rent, sheriff lockout
Eviction Process — California →
Step-by-step timeline, notices, statute cites
Rent Control — California →
Statewide caps, local ordinances, just-cause
Tenant Screening — California →
5-point protocol, legal rules, protected classes
Tenant Protections — California →
Just cause, retaliation, habitability, entry