Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Concord, CA
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Concord
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$107,789 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
128⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
125,007
Santa Ana
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$84,210
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High
Population
311,379 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Concord, CA
Pros
Households earn $23,579 more per year on average
More college-educated — 36.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.9%)
Cons
Violent crime (484.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Property crime (2886.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $2,137/mo
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Rent averages $252/mo less ($1,885 vs $2,137)
Homes cost $83k less ($624,000 vs $706,700)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 58°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 88°F
Smaller class sizes — 20.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Concord by $23,579/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Concord
Median Income
$23,579
$107,789 vs $84,210/yr
Concord
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.9% vs 5.5% unemployment
Concord
Summer Heat
5.5°F warmer
July avg high 88.0°F vs 82.5°F
Santa Ana
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 115.5 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Santa Ana
Median Home Value
$83k less
$624,000 vs $706,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Concord, CA | Santa Ana, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $706,700⚠ High | $624,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,137⚠ High | $1,885⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $107,789 ✓ Higher | $84,210 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.6 min⚠ High | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.7% ✓ Higher | 8.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 131⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 128⚠ High ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 137⚠ High | 81 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.2:1 | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.7% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.6% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mt. Diablo Unified | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.6°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.9" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 125,007 | 311,379 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.8 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.1% ✓ Higher | 44.8% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Concord's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Santa Ana's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Santa Ana is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Concord wins 11 and Santa Ana wins 11. 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 Concord to Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($706,700 vs $624,000 median home), income ($107,789 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Concord, CA and Santa Ana, CA are about 373 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.