Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Ana, CA
VS
Sunrise, FL
🏆 Sunrise leads 12 of 19 categories
Santa Ana
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High
Population
311,379 ✓ Larger
Sunrise
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,001
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
96,510
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Households earn $18,209 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (5.5%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 91°F
Smaller class sizes — 20.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
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)
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Sunrise
Sunrise, FL
Pros
Homes cost $328k less ($296,100 vs $624,000)
More college-educated — 31.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 69°F
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
Cons
Median income trails Santa Ana by $18,209/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Ana
Median Income
$18,209
$84,210 vs $66,001/yr
Santa Ana
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.5% unemployment
Sunrise
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 111.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Sunrise
Median Home Value
$328k less
$296,100 vs $624,000
Sunrise
Summer Heat
8.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Ana, CA | Sunrise, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 111.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $624,000⚠ High | $296,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,885⚠ High | $1,846⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,210 ✓ Higher | $66,001 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.0% | 10.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) | B- (91) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.9% | 31.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 65.2% | 91.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Ana Unified | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F | 76.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 67.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 311,379 ✓ Larger | 96,510 |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.8% | 69.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.6% | 19.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Ana's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Sunrise's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Sunrise is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Sunrise leads 12 of 19 categories. Santa Ana wins 7 and Sunrise 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 Santa Ana to Sunrise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($624,000 vs $296,100 median home), income ($84,210 vs $66,001), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Ana, CA and Sunrise, FL are about 2,299 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.