Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 12 of 21 categories
Huntington Beach
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481
Santa Ana
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
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.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
58% less violent crime than Santa Ana
Households earn $30,537 more per year on average
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Longer commutes — 29.7 min average each way
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Homes cost $353k less ($624,000 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $433/mo less ($1,885 vs $2,318)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 20.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $30,537/yr
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
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$30,537
$114,747 vs $84,210/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
58% lower
207.3 vs 493.1 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Santa Ana
Median Home Value
$353k less
$624,000 vs $976,800
Santa Ana
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, 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 | $976,800⚠ High | $624,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,885⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $84,210 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 8.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 81 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 12.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 | 311,379 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 44.8% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach'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, Huntington Beach leads 12 of 21 categories. Huntington Beach wins 12 and Santa Ana wins 9. 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 Huntington Beach to Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $624,000 median home), income ($114,747 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Santa Ana, CA are about 7 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.