City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Santa Ana, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Santa Ana - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

311,639
Residents
$88,354
Median income
$657,800
Median home
$3,236
Median rent (state)

Santa Ana - the verdict

Nationally, Santa Ana sits in the 69th percentile for household income and the 28th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

69th
percentile, household income
92nd
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
28th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Santa Ana, CA

311,639 people live in Santa Ana, California - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Santa Ana brings in $88,354 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.8%. Typical homes in Santa Ana are valued around $657,800, and the median resident age is 34.3 years. Educational attainment runs 18.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 62.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 440 residential building permits were authorized in Santa Ana (Construction Slowdown), down 32% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2195.3 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $3,236 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

311,639 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$88,354 /yr

Poverty 8.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Santa Ana compare to other US cities?

Here's how Santa Ana stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 69% higher than other cities
Home value 92% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 28% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at California, Santa Ana ranks #275 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Santa Ana against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Santa Ana toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Santa Ana ranks #138 - the 82nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Santa Ana only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#652 of 1,338
51st percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#138 of 1,458
82nd percentile in California
Median Home Value
#492 of 1,343
63rd percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#565 of 1,450
61st percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#949 of 1,458
35th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

69thIncome percentile
28thSafety percentile

69th percentile nationally for median household income · 28th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Santa Ana's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Santa Ana's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 34 Avg. percentile National median
Santa Ana's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Santa Ana's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$657,800 8th percentile more affordable than 8% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Santa Ana $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Santa Ana, CA Santa Ana, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Santa Ana, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Santa Ana, CA median $88,354/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Santa Ana, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Santa Ana, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
311,639
Median Income
$88,354
Median Home Value
$657,800
Median Age
34.3
Poverty Rate
8.8%
Labor force participation
62.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2195.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
493.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1702.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
79
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
310,000 residents312,000 residents314,000 residents316,000 residents318,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 311,236 residents 315,586 residents ▲ +1.4%
Santa Ana's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
440
housing units authorized
Single-Family
211
detached homes
Multifamily
229
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 643
2020 899
2021 851
2022 812
2023 1,530
2024 440

Permit volume decreased 32% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.8%
Carpool
13.7%
Public Transit
3.0%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
8.7%
Other
2.4%

Based on 152,467 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Santa Ana sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,236/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Irvine
308,160 people
Riverside
316,241 people
Stockton
320,470 people
Anaheim
344,553 people
Chula Vista
275,030 people
Santa Clarita
229,021 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Santa Ana's 311,639 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Orlando, FL
311,732 people
Cincinnati, OH
309,595 people
St. Paul, MN
307,762 people
Newark, NJ
307,188 people
Corpus Christi, TX
317,383 people
Pittsburgh, PA
303,620 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Santa Ana's $88,354 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Grafton, OH
$88,352 median income
Watford City, ND
$88,351 median income
Mills River, NC
$88,359 median income
Montgomery, NY
$88,348 median income
Bethel, CT
$88,344 median income
Waldron, IN
$88,333 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Santa Ana, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Santa Ana, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 19.5% 12.0% 48.7% 17.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 77.3% White 19.5% Black or African American 0.8% Asian 12.0% American Indian 1.5% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 48.7% Two or more races 17.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Santa Ana compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Santa Ana (this city) 311,639 $88,354
Irvine 308,160 $129,647
Riverside 316,241 $88,575
Stockton 320,470 $76,851
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Santa Ana, CA?

What is the population of Santa Ana, CA? +

Santa Ana, CA has a population of 311,639 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Santa Ana, CA? +

Santa Ana households earn a median of $88,354 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Santa Ana? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Santa Ana; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Santa Ana, CA safe? +

Santa Ana has a total crime rate of 2195.3 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Santa Ana, CA? +

The median home value in Santa Ana is $657,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.