Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Ana, CA
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 13 of 22 categories
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
Thousand Oaks
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Homes cost $277k less ($624,000 vs $900,600)
Rent averages $598/mo less ($1,885 vs $2,483)
Cons
Median income trails Thousand Oaks by $41,189/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)
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.8%)
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
79% less violent crime than Santa Ana
Households earn $41,189 more per year on average
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.8%)
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Ana
Median Home Value
$277k less
$624,000 vs $900,600
Santa Ana
Summer Heat
4.5°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 78.0°F
Thousand Oaks
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 113.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$41,189
$125,399 vs $84,210/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
79% lower
102.2 vs 493.1 per 100k
Thousand Oaks
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Ana, CA | Thousand Oaks, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $624,000⚠ High ✓ Lower | $900,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,885⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,483⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,210 | $125,399 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter | 25.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.0% | 18.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High | 27 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.9% | 49.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 65.2% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Ana Unified | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 68.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 16.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 311,379 ✓ Larger | 126,532 |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.8% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 20.3% |
| Over 65 | 10.6% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Ana's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Thousand Oaks is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 13 of 22 categories. Santa Ana wins 9 and Thousand Oaks wins 13. 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 Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($624,000 vs $900,600 median home), income ($84,210 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Ana, CA and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 65 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.