Living Cost Compare

Cost of Living in Santa Ana, CA

Population 309,837 · California

Median Rent

Studio
$1,770
1 Bedroom
$2,232
2 Bedroom
$2,719
3 Bedroom
$2,636

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$1,810,200

Income

Median Household Income
$109,739
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$55,850

Household income: Census ACS, city. Metro median wage: BLS OEWS, all occupations, 2025 (metro area).

The People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.9 yrs
Homeownership
28.8%
Bachelor's+ (25+)
68.9%
Avg Commute
25.8 min

Crime

Violent Crime (per 100k/yr)
497.3
Property Crime (per 100k/yr)
1,721.5

FBI Crime Data Explorer, Santa Ana Police Department (2024). Offenses per 100,000 residents per year. Agency reporting practices vary, so cross-city comparisons are approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.6°F
Annual Precipitation
13.6 in

Gas

Regular Gasoline (Los Angeles)
$5.89/gal

EIA weekly retail average, week of 2026-05-25.

Public Transit

Base Fare (OCTA)
$2.00

Adult base one-way fare on the primary agency (2026).

Utilities

Electricity
33.4¢/kWh
Natural Gas
$20.72/MCF

Residential, state-level averages (EIA, 2026-03-01). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
Bread (lb)
$2.10
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
Bananas (lb)
$0.74

Average prices, West (BLS, 2026-04-01). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes (CA)

State Sales Tax
7.25%
State Income Tax (top rate)
Up to 13.30%

State-level rates. Local sales taxes may add more. Income tax shown is the top marginal rate; most filers pay less.

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981-2010 (climate); EIA (gas, utilities); BLS Average Price Data (groceries) & OEWS (metro wage); transit agencies (fares); FBI Crime Data Explorer (crime); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).