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Is Santa Ana, CA a Good Place to Live?
Santa Ana is a large city of 311,379 in California, with a median household income of $84,210 and a 5.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 116 (US average = 100), which is 16% above the national average.
Strengths: Santa Ana stands out for short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Santa Ana is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Santa Ana city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 115.5Santa Ana's overall cost of living index is 115.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Santa Ana costs roughly 16% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Santa Ana, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $624,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,885 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $84,210 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageSanta Ana's violent crime rate is 493.1 per 100,000 residents — 30% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Santa Ana is served primarily by Santa Ana Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Santa Ana, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Santa Ana Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 34 | — |
| Middle Schools | 6 | — |
| High Schools | 10 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 20.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 65.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Santa Ana sees average highs of 69.3°F in January and 82.5°F in July, with 12.5 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Santa Ana, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 69.3°F |
| Average High — July | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Santa Ana, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 311,379 | — |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 25.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 25.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 59.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 11.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 10.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Santa Ana
Santa Ana, CA is covered by 5 ZIP codes: