Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Glendale, CA
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 Santa Ana leads 12 of 21 categories
Glendale
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$81,219
Violent Crime Index
76 ✓ Safer
Population
194,512
Santa Ana
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210 ✓ Higher
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.
Glendale, CA
Pros
42% less violent crime than Santa Ana
More college-educated — 43.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $992,000
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 5.5%)
Higher rents — median is $2,002/mo
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Homes cost $368k less ($624,000 vs $992,000)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (5.5%)
Rent averages $117/mo less ($1,885 vs $2,002)
Smaller class sizes — 20.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Households earn $2,991 more per year on average
Cons
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)
Key Differences at a Glance
Glendale
Violent Crime
42% lower
287.2 vs 493.1 per 100k
Glendale
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 85.8°F vs 82.5°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Santa Ana
Median Income
$2,991
$84,210 vs $81,219/yr
Santa Ana
Median Home Value
$368k less
$624,000 vs $992,000
Santa Ana
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
5.5% vs 8.1% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Glendale, 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 | $992,000⚠ High | $624,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,002⚠ High | $1,885⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $81,219 | $84,210 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.6 min | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 8.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 76 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 97 | 81 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.6:1 | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.8% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Glendale Unified | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.0°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.8°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 194,512 | 311,379 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.1 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.2% | 44.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.4% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Glendale'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 12 of 21 categories. Glendale wins 9 and Santa Ana wins 12. 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 Glendale to Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($992,000 vs $624,000 median home), income ($81,219 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Glendale, CA and Santa Ana, CA are about 37 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.