What are the schools like in Santee, CA?

Santee is served primarily by Santee. The district operates 11 elementary schools, several middle schools, and several high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 23.6:1.

What is the median household income in Santee?

The median household income in Santee, CA is $101,777 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 5.4%.

What is the weather like in Santee, CA?

Santee has an average high temperature of 69.3°F in January and 86.1°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 11.5 inches.

Santee, CA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Santee, CA affordable or expensive?

Santee's cost of living index is 112, where 100 represents the national average. This means Santee is 12% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $601,600 and the median rent is $1,982 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Santee, CA?

Santee has a violent crime rate of 254.4 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 571.2 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Santee, CA a Good Place to Live?

Santee is a mid-sized city of 59,497 in California, with a median household income of $101,777 and a 5.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Santee stands out for lower-than-average crime.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Santee is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Santee 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: 111.5

Santee's overall cost of living index is 111.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Santee costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.

Metric	Santee, CA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$601,600	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,982	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	73.0%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$101,777	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Santee's violent crime rate is 254.4 per 100,000 residents — 33% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

254.4 /100k

Property Crime

571.2 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Santee is served primarily by Santee. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Santee, CA	National Avg
School District	Santee	—
Elementary Schools	11	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	N/A	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	23.6:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	31.9%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	93.0%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Santee sees average highs of 69.3°F in January and 86.1°F in July, with 11.5 inches of annual precipitation .

Metric	Santee, CA
Average High — January	69.3°F
Average High — July	86.1°F
Annual Precipitation	11.5"
Annual Snowfall	Trace / None

Demographics

Metric	Santee, CA	National Avg
Population	59,497	—
Median Age	39.0	38.9
Unemployment Rate	5.4%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	28.6 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	74.1%	59.3%
Black or African American	1.8%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	10.5%	18.9%
Asian	5.4%	6.3%
Under 18	22.8%	22.2%
65 and over	15.8%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Eucalyptus Hills, CA 3 mi Bostonia, CA 4 mi Winter Gardens, CA 4 mi El Cajon, CA 4 mi Lakeside CDP (San Diego County), CA 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Santee

Santee, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

92071

Santee vs Other Cities

Santee, CA vs Eucalyptus Hills, CA Santee, CA vs Bostonia, CA Santee, CA vs Winter Gardens, CA Santee, CA vs El Cajon, CA Santee, CA vs Lakeside CDP (San Diego County), CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Santee, CA affordable or expensive?

Santee's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Santee roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $601,600 and median rent is $1,982/month.

What is the crime rate in Santee, CA?

Santee's violent crime rate is 254.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 571.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Santee?

Public schools in Santee are operated by Santee. The district has 11 elementary, several middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.6:1. 31.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Santee, CA a good place to live?

Santee, CA has a population of 59,497, a median household income of $101,777, and an unemployment rate of 5.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Santee?

Santee averages 69.3°F in January and 86.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 11.5 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Santee?

Santee, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 92071.

What is the population of Santee?

The population of Santee, California is 59,497 with a median age of 39.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Santee?

Key numbers for living in Santee: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $601,600, median household income $101,777, crime index 51 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Santee side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.