French Park
Historic homes registered with the Mills Act
Known as “Painted Ladies,” the neighborhood's grand historic houses date to the early 1900s and are replete with turrets and gingerbread motifs. Craftsman homes, with their characteristic gable overhanging roofs, are also scattered throughout. “It’s all historic homes, so no two houses are the same,” says Samano. “It’s a nicer area, so it’s also one of the most expensive in the city.” Many homes are registered with the Mills Act, a California preservation effort that provides homeowners with tax-saving benefits in exchange for maintaining a historic home to its original standards. Homes in French Park range from $775,000 to $1.3 million, with prices fluctuating based on the size and prestige of the property.
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French Park's popular neighborhood restaurants
A handful of restaurants are located in French Park. Pop’s Cafe is a retro restaurant offering American diner favorites like burgers and fries. A little farther down, residents can try nigiri and house special rolls at Koco Sushi. Fat of the Land serves specialty cocktails and wines, as well as a limited menu of elevated Mediterranean-inspired food. Residents are within walking distance of Benchmark, making its patio a popular place to hang out with a craft cocktail. The restaurant’s menu focuses on avant-garde dishes, with options like duck leg risotto and warm marinated olives. When shopping, most residents head into Downtown Santa Ana to shop at the Food 4 Less or one of the local boutique shops.
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Walking to Downtown and nearby Interstate Access
Thanks to its network of sidewalks, French Park is fairly walkable. Residents are within walking distance of downtown Santa Ana, less than a mile away. However, most residents own a car and do drive. Interstate 5 runs less than a mile outside the neighborhood, providing a route throughout Santa Ana or to a neighboring community. Anaheim is 8 miles to the north, and Huntington Beach is 16 miles to the south. John Wayne Airport is 8 miles south of French Park. Santa Ana Train Station is also less than a mile from the neighborhood for those who prefer to travel via Amtrak.
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Kids can attend Santa Ana Unified Schools and local college
French Park is served by Santa Ana Unified School District, which offers school choice. While families can apply to any Santa Ana school, the neighborhood is served by Garfield Elementary School, graded C by Niche. Some children might attend Sierra Preparatory School, graded C, from kindergarten through eighth grade, while others will attend only for middle school. Century High School earns a B-minus from Niche. Kids can join extracurriculars like the e-Business Academy to help them prepare for a career or get early college credit through a partnership with Santa Ana College. Students wanting to continue their education close to home can apply to Santa Ana College, only 2 miles west of French Park. A small private college, California Coast University, also operates in French Park and has a student population of about 8,000.
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French Park's namesake park and nearby Birch Park
French Park itself is fairly small. The small patch of green space occupies less than a city block but does offer benches for visitors to sit and enjoy the view of the surrounding historic homes. Birch Park is less than a mile south and offers a playground and outdoor exercise equipment. It is also home to the Santa Ana Senior Center.
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Architecture enthusiasts explore French Park on walking tours
Local architecture enthusiasts will periodically organize walking tours of Santa Ana’s historic neighborhoods, so it is common to see groups exploring French Park and taking in its history from the sidewalk. The French Park Neighborhood Association helps to manage preservation efforts and city planning, like regulating traffic patterns. It also works with the Santa Ana Police Department to organize a neighborhood watch. The neighborhood scores a 7 on the Cap crime index, the national average is 4, and it has higher marks for car thefts and burglary.
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Written By
Josie Keeley
Photography Contributed By
Samuel Evans
Video By
Daric Clarke
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Agents Specializing in this Area
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Evelyn Tee
Evelyn Tee
Responds QuicklyReal Broker
(949) 397-9078
100 Total Sales
1 in French Park
$929,000 Price
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Albert Hanna
Albert Hanna
Responds QuicklyAlt Financial Network Inc
(657) 279-8780
32 Total Sales
1 in French Park
$1,630,000 Price
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Jacqueline Walker
Jacqueline Walker
Responds QuicklyHomesmart, Evergreen Realty
(657) 259-9391
87 Total Sales
1 in French Park
$500,000 Price
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Bogdana Dees
Bogdana Dees
Bogdana Dees, Broker
(657) 279-4763
33 Total Sales
1 in French Park
$285,000 Price
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Luis Anaya
Luis Anaya
Keller Williams Legacy
(949) 771-8980
57 Total Sales
4 in French Park
$725K - $1.8M Price Range
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Lori Petersen
Lori Petersen
Arbor Real Estate
(714) 276-1595
21 Total Sales
3 in French Park
$1M - $1.2M Price Range
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 9th to 12th
- Public
- 6th to 8th
- Public
- K to 5th
- Public
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Parks in this Area
French Park
- Picnic Area
- Trails
Transit
French Park Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in French Park, Santa Ana sell after 54 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in French Park, Santa Ana over the last 12 months is $1,350,000, up 12% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$180,000
Median Sale Price
$1,350,000
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$1,350,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
0%
Last 12 months Home Sales
5
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
12%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$471
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
126
Number of Homes for Sale
1
Median Year Built
1922
Months of Supply
2.40
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,560
Below the national average
1,924
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,152
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
788
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
6,098
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
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Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
2,217
Median Age
34
Population under 18
29.2%
Above the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
8.7%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$52,841
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$69,098
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
59.5%
Significantly below the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
16.5%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
4%
% Population in Labor Force
71.4%
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
57
/ 100
Walker's Paradise
Walk Score®
92
/ 100
Good Transit
Transit Score®
54
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
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