Santa Ana, CA Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Santa Ana, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Santa Ana →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Santa Ana's population is about 311,379. On income, the typical household clears $84,210 a year, running above the median household income across the cities we cover (+17%).
Expect a median home value of $624,000 in Santa Ana, which runs above what we see across other cities (+91%). Median rent lands at $1,885/month — a useful baseline before comparing mortgage payments to rent.
Buying a typical home in Santa Ana would take about 7.4 years of median household income — a high multiple that points to real affordability pressure. Home prices near Santa Ana have risen a steady 3.33% over the past year — measured growth, not a spike. FEMA rates Santa Ana's overall natural-hazard risk as Very High — worth factoring into home insurance costs.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,885/mo in Santa Ana would take 26.9% of your income.
$220/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($624,000) would take 47.5% of your income toward principal & interest.
$1,366/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Santa Ana
Median home value is $624,000 and median gross rent is $1,885/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Orange rose 3.33% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $3,236/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Santa Ana's overall natural-hazard risk as Very High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Santa Ana reported a violent crime rate of 337.4 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Santa Ana
Planning a move to Santa Ana? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Santa Ana, CA?
- Cost of living in Santa Ana centers on housing: median home value runs $624,000, median rent runs $1,885/month, and the typical household earns $84,210 a year. Data via the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Santa Ana?
- To keep rent under the commonly recommended 30% of income in Santa Ana, where median rent runs $1,885/month, you'd want to earn about $75,400 annually. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Santa Ana.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Santa Ana?
- Comparing the two in Santa Ana: renting at the median $1,885/month needs about $75,400 in annual income (30% guideline), while buying the $624,000 median home needs roughly $142,768 a year in principal-and-interest, assuming 20% down and a 30-year fixed loan at current rates.
- Is Santa Ana safe?
- The most recent FBI figures (2025) show a violent crime rate of 337.4 per 100,000 residents in Santa Ana.
See the full salary breakdown for Santa Ana →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Santa Ana's.