Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 Orange leads 12 of 18 categories
Orange
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
Santa Ana
California
6
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.
Orange, CA
Pros
54% less violent crime than Santa Ana
Households earn $25,125 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.7%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Homes cost $224k less ($624,000 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $263/mo less ($1,885 vs $2,148)
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 Orange by $25,125/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$25,125
$109,335 vs $84,210/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
54% lower
226.1 vs 493.1 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.5% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Santa Ana
Median Home Value
$224k less
$624,000 vs $848,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, 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 | $848,200⚠ High | $624,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $1,885⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $84,210 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 8.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 81 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F | 69.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" | 12.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 311,379 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 44.8% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange'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 18 decided categories above, Orange leads 12 of 18 categories. Orange wins 12 and Santa Ana wins 6. 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 Orange to Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $624,000 median home), income ($109,335 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Santa Ana, CA are about 4 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.