Head-to-Head · City Comparison
East Los Angeles, CA
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 Santa Ana leads 16 of 21 categories
East Los Angeles
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,119
Violent Crime Index
147⚠ High
Population
117,222
Santa Ana
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
311,379 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
East Los Angeles, CA
Pros
Rent averages $516/mo less ($1,369 vs $1,885)
Homes cost $42k less ($582,400 vs $624,000)
Smaller class sizes — 18.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (558.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Santa Ana by $20,091/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 5.5%)
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Households earn $20,091 more per year on average
12% less violent crime than East Los Angeles
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.5%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 17.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,885/mo
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
Key Differences at a Glance
East Los Angeles
Median Home Value
$42k less
$582,400 vs $624,000
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Santa Ana
Median Income
$20,091
$84,210 vs $64,119/yr
Santa Ana
Violent Crime
12% lower
493.1 vs 558.4 per 100k
Santa Ana
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | East Los Angeles, CA | Santa Ana, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $582,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $624,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,369⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,885⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,119 | $84,210 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.8 min⚠ High | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.0% | 8.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 124⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | 81 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (68) | C+ (84) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 11.0% | 17.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 55.4% | 65.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Animo Ellen Ochoa Charter Middle District | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.0°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.0°F | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.2" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,222 | 311,379 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.2 | 33.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.9% | 44.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% ✓ More | 24.1% |
| Over 65 | 10.8% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
East Los Angeles's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Santa Ana's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Santa Ana leads 16 of 21 categories. East Los Angeles wins 5 and Santa Ana wins 16. 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 East Los Angeles to Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($582,400 vs $624,000 median home), income ($64,119 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
East Los Angeles, CA and Santa Ana, CA are about 26 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.