Culture, diversity and Santa Ana winds in central Orange County
Mention Santa Ana, and those familiar with its topography will likely picture whipping hot Santa Ana winds that cascade over the high desert to the Pacific Coast from October through March, channeling through the city. Although Santa Ana shares its name with this weather phenomenon, the winds are named after the Santa Ana Canyon they pass through, affecting a large portion of Southern California. Many also associate the city with its famous Santa Ana freeway, or Interstate 5, a high-traffic central corridor spanning the West Coast from the Mexico border to Washington state. Santa Ana is officially the government seat of Orange County, known as "the OC" in pop culture references, and the second most populous of OC's 34 cities.
The city's vibrant, urban character differs from more suburban neighboring cities like Tustin and Irvine. About 80% of its more than 300,000 residents are Hispanic, and this rich heritage is evident in business, retail, dining, arts and education. Across its 27 square miles, Santa Ana celebrates art, culture and hometown pride. Scents of pan dulce and citrus waft through the tree-lined streets, and mariachi music drifts from restaurants at dusk. Buildings, alleys and public places feature one of Southern California's most audacious collections of supersize murals and sculptures, and free monthly ArtWalks offer gallery tours, music and dancing under the stars.
Top employers include the Orange County government and the Santa Ana Unified School District, and the city bustles with residential and commercial development. A $25 million federal grant for the Santa Ana Boulevard rail crossing will add an underpass, pedestrian overcrossing and protected bikeways by January 2029. And while the city's portion of the Santa Ana River is more of a concrete ditch today, neighboring Anaheim is planning a new $100 million OC Riverwalk, using inflatable dams to create water flow, transforming the Santa Ana River corridor.
Mariachi Las Catrinas perform their hearts out at TamalFest in Santa Ana.
Colorful canopies of trees over the Flower Streets of Santa Ana makes for lush living.
The urban sights and architecture set Santa Ana apart from the rest of Orange County.
The Water Lantern Festival is another great example of Santa Ana's cultural diversity.
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Stately historic to manufactured homes in distinct neighborhoods
The city is organized into six districts, known as wards, each with a similar number of residents. Unlike many tract-home-heavy OC suburbs, Santa Ana's over 60 neighborhoods have a refreshing variety of styles and densities. Downtown Santa Ana is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the city has nearly 100 historic structures dating back to 1870. "Floral Park and West Floral Park are really desirable in Santa Ana for their tree-lined streets and larger lots," says Kathy Thomson, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, who's been selling in the area since 2017. "They have a very neighborhood feeling and host some popular garden and home tours. It's a very established area with some historic homes, and the tours bring a lot of people." Parts of Santa Ana are lined with jacaranda trees whose purple blooms decorate city streets and parks.
"South Coast Metro is a completely different area," adds Thomson, "where you have the Segerstrom arts center and South Coast Plaza. There's a lot more affordable condos there and you're close to employers and happy hours. It's a bit more city-vibe." The city's median home price of $835,000 — while double the national median — is around half the median of $1.6 million in Irvine and less than the $1 million median in Los Angeles. Home prices range from under $200,000 in one of the city's many mobile home communities to $2 million in upscale gated neighborhoods like Armstrong Ranch. In late 2024, the city council approved the city's most expensive, largest master-planned development. This new urban village, Related Bristol, is expected to create thousands of new jobs and generate billions for the city's economy.
Historic homes in Santa Ana can date as far back as the 1860s.
Average prices for homes in Santa Ana are double the median of the nation.
Larger homes in Washington Square can be up to 2,800 square feet over large lots.
Mobile homes in Santa Ana can range under $200,000 for the most affordable areas.
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Explore the Santa Ana Zoo and Artists Village
Dozens of city parks offer recreation choices such as aquatics, athletic facilities, green spaces and a 20-acre zoo. Locals fish at Centennial Park lake and swim at Jerome Park. The Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park hosts nearly 300,000 visitors yearly, who come to see endangered species and over a dozen species of primates. Every third Sunday, city residents can visit the zoo for free. Other cities in OC have a higher Trust for Public Lands score for park abundance; however, Santa Ana is actively implementing its first parks master plan established in 2022 to promote healthy lifestyles, improve inequities in green space and support community livability. Within an 8-mile drive north of city central in Anaheim, there's plenty to explore at Disneyland — Walt Disney's original theme park, which opened in 1955.
While there are more galleries overall in Los Angeles County and more in Laguna Beach than in Santa Ana, the city has plenty of creative landmarks. The 14-foot welded steel sculpture Coyotl/Coyote by local artist David Vazquez honors Aztec ruler Nezahualcoyotl, who was devoted to preserving his Mexican Nahuatl culture and language. Downtown Santa Ana, dubbed DTSA, is the hotspot for art walks and a 10-block Artist Village filled with galleries, studios and cafes. It's also home to the county's only nonprofit art house cinema, The Frida. Bowers Museum is known for its Central and South American art and artifacts.
The Santa Ana Zoo holds free days for residents making it a popular attraction for families.
Santa Ana's annual Chicano Heritage Festival erupts on the Centennial Park Stage.
Orange Film Fest showcases fresh filmmakers at the Frida in Santa Ana.
Visitors try crafting at Santa Ana Artists Village in the historic Sonora Building.
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California's No. 1 best charter high school
The Santa Ana Unified School District earns a B grade on Niche, as does the nearby Los Angeles Unified School District. In 2022, SAUSD adopted a master plan to support its English learners, who comprise over 40% of the student population. Aspiring artists can attend the A-plus tuition-free Orange County School of the Arts, offering preprofessional dance, music, theater and visual arts, and rated the No. 1 best charter high school statewide by Niche. University of California Irvine is 11 miles south; and within a 45-mile drive north of the city, the University of California Los Angeles is the largest in southern California.
Romeo Cruz Academy serves students grades K-8 in dual immersion.
A bold mural at Monroe Elementary School welcomes its 250 students in Santa Ana.
Mater Dei High School football hold 12 CIFSS championships.
Orange County School of the Arts is a renowned public charter school in Santa Ana.
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Cinco de Mayo and Tet Festivals
Local cultural events like Cinco de Mayo in the spring and the Fiestas Patrias in September are big in Santa Ana, sometimes drawing between 100,000 and 200,000 from all over the county. The TamalFest in December features live music and a dozen local restaurants serving well over 30,000 tamales. In 2024, the city held its first-ever Santa Ana Tet Festival to celebrate the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.
Entering its 15th year Santa Ana’s Blading Cup showcases aerial skating competition.
Tamalitos march through TamalFest to celebrate the Santa Ana community.
Santa Ana Art Walk bleeds out to the murals on every corner of downtown.
Santa Ana Fiestas brings in the crowds with local businesses bustling from the activity.
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Major interstates and Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center
Easy access to the Santa Ana Freeway, also called the 5, in the northeast part of the city is a good start to a commute that can sometimes be a bit grueling. At Santa Ana's Regional Transportation Center, commuters can opt for Metrolink trains, Orange County Transportation Authority bus routes and Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner. Parking at the transit center is free for up to 72 hours. A new Orange County Streetcar is expected to begin service in 2025. Just south of Route 405 in Santa Ana, the John Wayne Airport offers direct flights to over 30 cities, including destinations in Mexico and Canada.
Fourth Street Market, MainPlace Mall and nearby Outlets at Orange
Generations of Santa Ana residents have remained loyal to iconic local diners and mom-and-pop restaurants in Calle Cuatro Marketplace on 4th Street, also known as "La Cuatro." This tree-lined, brick-paver market with street vendors and historic structures faces an identity shift as the new OC Streetcar plans to open in 2025, bringing new development and changing the market's character. Next door, the 4th Street Market food hall allows ambitious chefs to test their innovative dishes before opening a restaurant. More dining options and lots of mall shopping are found at MainPlace Mall and South Coast Plaza in the city or not far outside the city in The Outlets at Orange. Irvine Spectrum Center, 10 miles southeast in Irvine, is one of the most popular, and busiest, malls in Southern California.
Tuk Tuk serves Santa Ana's favorite Thai cuisine from its vivid namesake at the counter.
Santa Ana families have been visiting South Coast Plaza since 1967.
Muse Coffee roasts hand-picked fresh beans its Santa Ana customers clamor for.
Alta Baja Market in Downtown Santa Ana has unique home goods with Hispanic flare.
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New Climate Action Plan, wildfire risk, crime lower than national rate
Researchers at the University of California Irvine have found that Santa Ana has at least 75 state-listed polluter sites, and the Madison Park area has more toxic emissions than nearly all census tracts statewide. In response, Santa Ana's 2024 budget includes $750,000 to fund a Climate Action Plan, and the city has established an environmental justice action committee.
Southern California's Mediterranean climate of dry, hot summers and mild, wet winters has long been a draw. However, the region is also known for seismic activity and wildfire risk, exacerbated by the Santa Ana winds. In late 2024, wildfires in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains caused hazardous air quality in the city.
FBI data shows that the city's violent crime rate per 100,000 people rose slightly from 65 in December 2022 to 75 in December 2023, while the property crime rate fell 17% from 184 to 152 in the same timeframe. These rates are significantly lower than the violent crime rate of 145 and property crime rate of 255 in Los Angeles and lower than the national rates.
On average, homes in Santa Ana, CA sell after 36 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Santa Ana, CA over the last 12 months is $850,000, up 5% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$875,000
Median Sale Price
$850,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$1,001,000
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$982,500
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$475,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
0%
Last 12 months Home Sales
1,826
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
$5
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$617
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes for Sale
266
Months of Supply
1.70
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Top Schools in Santa Ana, CA
Source:
Best Public Elementary Schools
#1 Panorama Elementary School
A-
Niche
10
GreatSchools
#2 Red Hill Elementary School
A-
Niche
10
GreatSchools
#3 Arroyo Elementary School
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#4 Morningside Elementary School
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#5 Susan B. Anthony Elementary School
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#6 Thomas Paine Elementary School
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#7 Tustin Memorial Elementary School
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#8 Excelsior Elementary School
A-
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#9 R. F. Hazard Elementary School
A-
Niche
8
GreatSchools
Best Public Middle Schools
#1 McGarvin Intermediate School
A
Niche
10
GreatSchools
#2 James Irvine Intermediate School
A
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#3 Donald S. Jordan Intermediate School
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#4 Hewes Middle School
A
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#5 Columbus Tustin Middle School
B+
Niche
7
GreatSchools
#6 Doig Intermediate School
B+
Niche
7
GreatSchools
#7 Fitz Intermediate Language Academy
B+
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#8 Douglas Macarthur Fundamental Intermediate School
B-
Niche
7
GreatSchools
#9 Gonzalo Felicitas Mendez Fundamental Intermediate School
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
