Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Austin, TX
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 Austin leads 15 of 23 categories
Austin
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$86,556 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
123⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
958,202 ✓ Larger
Santa Ana
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High
Population
311,379
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Austin, TX
Pros
Homes cost $163k less ($461,500 vs $624,000)
More college-educated — 56.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
5% less violent crime than Santa Ana
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
Rent averages $336/mo less ($1,549 vs $1,885)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.4%)
Cons
Violent crime (466.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3241.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 97°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 63°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Austin
Higher rents — median is $1,885/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Austin
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Austin
Median Income
$2,346
$86,556 vs $84,210/yr
Austin
Violent Crime
5% lower
466.9 vs 493.1 per 100k
Austin
Median Home Value
$163k less
$461,500 vs $624,000
Austin
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.5% unemployment
Austin
Summer Heat
14.1°F warmer
July avg high 96.6°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Austin, TX | Santa Ana, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $461,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $624,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,549⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,885⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,556 ✓ Higher | $84,210 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.1 min ✓ Shorter | 25.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 22.9% ✓ Higher | 8.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 135⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 123⚠ High ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 154⚠ High | 81 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (133) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 56.5% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 91.1% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AUSTIN ISD | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.5°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 96.6°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 958,202 ✓ Larger | 311,379 |
| Median Age | 34.2 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.4% | 44.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.8% | 10.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Austin's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Santa Ana's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Austin is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Austin leads 15 of 23 categories. Austin wins 15 and Santa Ana wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Austin to Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($461,500 vs $624,000 median home), income ($86,556 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Austin, TX and Santa Ana, CA are about 1,201 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.