Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Richmond, VA
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 Richmond leads 13 of 23 categories
Richmond
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,606
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
227,171
Santa Ana
California
10
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.
Richmond, VA
Pros
Homes cost $316k less ($308,300 vs $624,000)
Rent averages $658/mo less ($1,227 vs $1,885)
32% less violent crime than Santa Ana
More college-educated — 44.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Santa Ana by $24,604/yr
Property crime (3179.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Households earn $24,604 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 48°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 90°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
Higher rents — median is $1,885/mo
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Richmond
Key Differences at a Glance
Richmond
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Richmond
Violent Crime
32% lower
336.9 vs 493.1 per 100k
Richmond
Median Home Value
$316k less
$308,300 vs $624,000
Richmond
Summer Heat
7.0°F warmer
July avg high 89.5°F vs 82.5°F
Santa Ana
Median Income
$24,604
$84,210 vs $59,606/yr
Santa Ana
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.1% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Richmond, VA | Santa Ana, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $308,300⚠ High ✓ Lower | $624,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,227 ✓ Lower | $1,885⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,606 | $84,210 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter | 25.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.3% ✓ Higher | 8.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 114⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 151⚠ High | 81 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.1% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Richmond City Public Schools | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.8°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.5°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 227,171 | 311,379 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.5 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.2% | 44.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.1% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Richmond's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Santa Ana's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Richmond is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Richmond leads 13 of 23 categories. Richmond wins 13 and Santa Ana wins 10. 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 Richmond to Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($308,300 vs $624,000 median home), income ($59,606 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Richmond, VA and Santa Ana, CA are about 2,267 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.