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City · 312,534 residents · Orange County, California

Santa Ana , California

In Santa Ana, a typical home is worth $713,000 and typical rent is $2,082 a month. Compared with all of Orange County, the typical home value is 26% lower, typical household income is 19% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $713,000

    26% below the county

    3% below California

    • Santa Ana
    • Orange
    • California

  • Typical rent

    $2,082a month

    14% below the county

    2% above California

    • Santa Ana
    • Orange
    • California

  • Typical household income

    $93,999a year

    19% below the county

    5% below California

    • Santa Ana
    • Orange
    • California

  • Households that own their home

    45%

    12 points below the county

    11 points below California

    • Santa Ana
    • Orange
    • California

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$858,641
3.7% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,820 a month
2% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Santa Ana is in Orange County. The FHA loan limit ($1,249,125 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Orange County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Santa Ana apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. The typical home in Santa Ana is worth $713,000, 26% less than in Orange County as a whole ($962,600).

  2. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Santa Ana rose 3.7%; in California, it rose 0.6%.

  3. 45% of households in Santa Ana own their home, against 56% in Orange County.

  4. The typical household income in Santa Ana is $93,999, 19% less than in Orange County as a whole ($116,289).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Santa Ana

What homes there are in Santa Ana, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Homes in Santa Ana are varied: detached houses are the largest group, at 44%, against 49% in Orange County.

Year built

The typical home in Santa Ana was built in 1969, 8 years before the typical one in Orange County.

There are fewer big homes in Santa Ana than in Orange County: 45% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 56%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

At least 89% of owner-occupied homes in Santa Ana are worth less than $1,000,000, below the FHA loan limit for Orange County ($1,249,125).

Monthly rent with utilities

With a HUD fair market rent of $3,057 for 2 bedrooms, at least 88% of rented homes in Santa Ana sit below it.

With a mortgage

$2,602 a month

Orange County: $3,385 a month

Without a mortgage

$642 a month

Orange County: $902 a month

Owners with a mortgage

65%

Orange County: 67%

Owning costs less in Santa Ana: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $2,602 a month; in Orange County, $3,385. Without one, $642.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Since 2015–2019, homes in Santa Ana gained value faster than in Orange County: 45% against 42%.

Much as in Orange County, the typical rent in Santa Ana rose 33% since 2015–2019.

The typical household income in Santa Ana rose 42% over that time; home values changed +45% and rent +33%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureSanta AnaOrange CountyCaliforniaUnited States
Rental vacancy 3.0%4.4%4.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy 0.7%0.7%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room 26.1%8.9%8.2%3.4%
People per household 3.812.872.842.53
Drive alone 70%68%66%69%
Carpool 14%9%10%9%
Public transit 3%1%3%3%
Walk or bike 2%2%3%3%
Work from home 9%19%17%15%
Other means 2%2%2%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Santa Ana, the rental vacancy rate is 3.0%; in Orange County, 4.4%.

More households are short on space in Santa Ana: 26.1% have more than one person per room; in Orange County, 8.9%.

On average, a household in Santa Ana has 3.81 people, more than in Orange County (2.87).

More people carpool to work in Santa Ana than in Orange County: 14% against 9%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Santa Ana?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Santa Ana, worth $713,000, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 73% of the typical household income in Santa Ana, which is $93,999 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $243,763 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Orange County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Santa Ana. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $24,955 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$5,688

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$700,086
Total interest
$1,007,259
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $12,041 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,193 a month

  • Tight

    $2,193 to $2,820 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,820 a month

    Your payment · 73%

Compared with the typical household income in Santa Ana ($93,999 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$5,688
Principal & interest$4,743
Property tax$333
Home insurance$297
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$315

You need at least $24,955 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Santa Ana and Orange County

Santa Ana is in Orange County, California. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Santa Ana's own numbers

Typical home value
$713,000
Typical monthly rent
$2,082
Typical yearly household income
$93,999
Households that own their home
45%
Effective property tax rate
0.56%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Orange County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$1,249,125
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,249,125
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$3,057
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+54%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.8%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Orange County.

Everything about Orange County

Buying

Buying a home in Santa Ana

A typical home in Santa Ana is worth $713,000: 26% below the county and 3% below California. With the typical household income in Santa Ana ($93,999 a year), a typical home costs 7.6 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Santa Ana 7.6 years
  • Orange 8.3 years
  • California 7.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Orange County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Orange County rose 89% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Orange County.

Period County California U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.3% +0.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +54% +40% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +89% +80% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Santa Ana next to Orange County, California and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Santa Ana $713,000
  • Orange $962,600
  • California $734,700
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Santa Ana $2,082
  • Orange $2,434
  • California $2,036
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Santa Ana $93,999
  • Orange $116,289
  • California $99,122
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Santa Ana next to Orange County and California
Measure Santa Ana Orange County California U.S.
Typical home value $713,000 $962,600 $734,700 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,082 $2,434 $2,036 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $93,999 $116,289 $99,122 $80,734
Households that own their home 45% 56% 56% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,997 $6,330 $5,124 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.56% 0.66% 0.7% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 54% 57% 55% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Orange County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Santa Ana

For a typical $713,000 home in Santa Ana, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Santa Ana's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $5,688a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $24,955
    Cash to close
    $46,345
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $315

  • Conventional, 5% down $5,557a month

    Down payment
    $35,650
    Cash to close
    $57,040
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $339

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $4,494a month

    Down payment
    $142,600
    Cash to close
    $163,990
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $5,153a month

    Down payment
    $106,950
    Cash to close
    $128,340
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Santa Ana and for Orange County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Santa Ana

0.56%of the home’s value each year

$3,997 a year for the typical owner in Santa Ana.

  • Santa Ana 0.56%
  • Orange 0.66%
  • California 0.7%

What California publishes Homeowners' exemption (California State Board of Equalization (BOE))

Exemptions and deadlines in California

Flood risk in Orange County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Orange County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.8%
22,389
Of those, with NFIP insurance
19%
County California U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.8% 2.8% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 19% 31% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Santa Ana

Typical rent in Santa Ana is $2,082 a month: 14% below the county. In Santa Ana, 54% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Orange County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($3,057 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $58.79 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Orange County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $2,580 $49.62 $103,200
1 bedroom $2,610 $50.19 $104,400
2 bedrooms $3,057 $58.79 $122,280
3 bedrooms $4,153 $79.87 $166,120
4 bedrooms $4,964 $95.46 $198,560

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Santa Ana

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Santa Ana has 6 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it is $2,920 in all of them.

None is above the fair market rent for Orange County ($3,057).

  • 92701 $2,920$3,960
  • 92703 $2,920$3,960
  • 92704 $2,920$3,960
  • 92705 $2,920$3,960
  • 92706 $2,920$3,960
  • 92707 $2,920$3,960

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Santa Ana when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Santa Ana

HUD lists 25 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Santa Ana. These are the largest.

  • Warwick Square Apts 780 S Lyon St, Santa Ana 92705 500 low-income homes · In service since 1996 · For families
  • City Gardens Apts 2901 N Bristol St, Santa Ana 92706 274 low-income homes · In service since 1996
  • Santa Ana Towers 401 W 1st St, Santa Ana 92701 200 homes, 199 low-income · 1 bd: 199 · In service since 2001 · For older adults (714) 835-6905
  • Flower Terrace 1401 N Flower St, Santa Ana 92706 200 homes, 198 low-income · 1 bd: 200 · In service since 2013 · For older adults (714) 541-4451
  • Flower Park Plaza 901 W 1st St, Santa Ana 92703 199 homes, 198 low-income · Studio: 51 · 1 bd: 147 · 2 bd: 1 · In service since 2006 · For older adults

See all 236 buildings in Orange County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Santa Ana

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 10 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Orange County; 6 say they serve in Spanish.

A young woman and a young man point to a line in their notes beside a laptop in a library.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Santa Ana

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Santa Ana or Orange County. The ones below are statewide in California: they work in Santa Ana the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in California

  • MyHome Assistance Program

    Statewide in California

    CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers in California. Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • California Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan

    Statewide in California

    Closed, per the source

    CalHFA down payment loan for first-generation buyers in California; when you sell, you repay the loan plus a share of the home's appreciation. Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).

    Shared appreciation

    See the program Official page

  • MyAccess Program

    Statewide in California

    CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers who use the CalPLUS Access mortgage (FHA or conventional). Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Santa Ana

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Santa Ana, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Epicenter Foundation

    305 W 4th St, Santa Ana · 1 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (714) 410-2414

  • Homeownership Oc

    801 W Civic Center Dr Ste 200, Santa Ana · 1 miles away

    Also serves in Arabic and Vietnamese.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 9 more
    (714) 204-2314

  • Orange County Community Housing Corporation

    501 N Golden Circle Dr Ste 200, Santa Ana · 3 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 4 more
    (714) 558-8161

Every agency in Orange County All counseling agencies in California

Help in Spanish near Santa Ana

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Santa Ana

HUD’s record names them for Santa Ana or Orange County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of the City of Santa Ana Section 8 vouchers (714) 667-2200
  • Orange County Housing Authority Section 8 vouchers (714) 480-2700

2 other authorities have an office in Orange County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Orange County

These cities are also in Orange County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Orange County Housing in California
See 28 more cities in Orange County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Santa Ana, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Orange County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Santa Ana.

All guides
Three women of one family lean in together to stir the pan.

Questions

Housing questions about Santa Ana

Short answers with the numbers for Santa Ana and all of Orange County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Santa Ana?

The typical home value in Santa Ana is $713,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Orange County it is $962,600.

How much does it cost to rent in Santa Ana?

Typical rent in Santa Ana is $2,082 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Orange County is $3,057.

What is the FHA loan limit in Santa Ana?

Santa Ana uses the FHA limit for all of Orange County (2026): $1,249,125 for a one-unit home and $2,402,625 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Santa Ana?

The typical homeowner in Santa Ana pays $3,997 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.56% of the home’s value; in Orange County, the rate is 0.66%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Santa Ana?

There are 10 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Orange County. 6 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).