City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Santee, CA

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

59,485
Residents
$105,613
Median income
$653,400
Median home
$3,001
Median rent (state)

Santee - the verdict

Nationally, Santee sits in the 81st percentile for household income and the 71st percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

81st
percentile, household income
91st
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
71st
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: Santee, CA

Santee is a small city in California, home to 59,485 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Santee households earn a median of $105,613 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.3%. Typical homes in Santee are valued around $653,400, and the median resident age is 39.5 years. Educational attainment runs 32.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 59.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 199 residential building permits were authorized in Santee (Rapid Growth), up 47% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Santee reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 825.6 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $3,001 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Santee workers runs 23.7 minutes, with 74.8% driving alone and 15.0% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

59,485 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$105,613 /yr

Poverty 5.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Santee compare to other US cities?

Where Santee sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 81% higher than other cities
Home value 91% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 71% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, Santee ranks #38 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Santee 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 Santee toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Santee ranks #287 - the 76th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Santee only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#446 of 1,338
67th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#287 of 1,458
76th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#501 of 1,343
63rd percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#815 of 1,450
43rd percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#562 of 1,458
61st 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.

81stIncome percentile
71stSafety percentile

81st percentile nationally for median household income · 71st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Santee's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Santee'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 53 Avg. percentile National median
Santee'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 Santee's home value compares nationally

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

$653,400 9th percentile more affordable than 9% 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. Santee $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 - Santee, CA Santee, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Santee, 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 Santee, CA median $105,613/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%
Santee, 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 Santee, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.4%

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

Population
59,485
Median Income
$105,613
Median Home Value
$653,400
Median Age
39.5
Poverty Rate
5.3%
Labor force participation
59.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
825.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
254.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
571.2
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
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
58,000 residents58,500 residents59,000 residents59,500 residents60,000 residents60,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 59,861 residents 58,205 residents ▼ -2.8%
Santee's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
199
housing units authorized
Single-Family
92
detached homes
Multifamily
107
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 135
2020 180
2021 141
2022 158
2023 68
2024 199

Permit volume increased 47% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.7 minutes
Drive Alone
74.8%
Carpool
5.8%
Public Transit
1.2%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
15.0%
Other
2.3%

Based on 27,538 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 Santee sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,001/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Hanford
59,389 people
Monterey Park
59,639 people
Petaluma
59,321 people
Gardena
59,765 people
Cupertino
58,886 people
Gilroy
58,561 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Santee's 59,485 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

North Miami, FL
59,429 people
Mayagüez zona urbana, PR
59,427 people
Blue Springs, MO
59,416 people
Des Plaines, IL
59,408 people
West Allis, WI
59,588 people
Kokomo, IN
59,375 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Santee's $105,613 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Kalaheo, HI
$105,605 median income
Butte, AK
$105,625 median income
Courtland, MN
$105,625 median income
Nesbitt, TX
$105,625 median income
Liberty Lake, WA
$105,599 median income
Addis, LA
$105,635 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Santee, 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 Santee, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 70.2% 16.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 21.9% White 70.2% Black or African American 2.4% Asian 5.5% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 4.8% Two or more races 16.3% 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 Santee 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
Santee (this city) 59,485 $105,613
Hanford 59,389 $73,544
Monterey Park 59,639 $77,605
Petaluma 59,321 $109,823
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Santee, CA?

What is the population of Santee, CA? +

59,485 people live in Santee, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Santee, CA? +

Median annual household income in Santee runs $105,613, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Santee? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Santee; 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 Santee, CA safe? +

Santee has a total crime rate of 825.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Santee, CA? +

A typical home in Santee is worth $653,400, 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.