Santa Ana appears less affordable relative to its own citywide benchmarks: median gross rent ($2,082/month) represents about 26.5% of median monthly household income ($7,833), which exceeds the common 30% affordability threshold when combined with other costs. However, without official local data on transportation, utilities, or non-housing expenses, the full affordability picture remains uncertain. The uniform non-housing calculator baseline of $1,250/month is a model assumption, not a local observation.
Santa Ana at a glance
What the default budget models
A one-person renting household begins with a modeled annual core-cost baseline of $39,984. It combines the ACS median gross-rent estimate with a uniform $1,250 monthly non-housing baseline. State income tax is excluded until a current official reference is approved; the calculator labels that limitation instead of guessing.
| 2024 ACS population estimate | 312,534 |
| 2024 ACS median household income | $93,999 |
| 2024 ACS median gross rent | $2,082 |
| 2024 ACS median owner-occupied home value | $713,000 |
| Derived one-way commute estimate | 27 minutes |
| State-tax treatment | Excluded — official reference pending |
| Rent-to-income reference | 27% |
The trade-off
Relative strength: Median rent consumes over a quarter of median income.. Watch closely: higher home values may reflect long-term equity but increase entry barriers..
Compare Santa Ana
Frequently asked questions
Is Santa Ana affordable for renters based on 2024 ACS data?
Median gross rent of $2,082 per month is about 26.5% of median monthly household income ($7,833), which is below the 30% rent-to-income threshold often used for affordability. However, this does not account for utilities, transportation, or other costs, and the uniform non-housing baseline of $1,250/month is a model assumption, not a local measure.
How does Santa Ana's median home value compare to its income?
The median owner-occupied home value is $713,000, which is approximately 7.6 times the median household income of $93,999. This ratio suggests homeownership may be financially challenging for many residents, though it does not reflect down payment requirements, mortgage rates, or local lending conditions, which are not included in the ACS source pack.
Source ledger
Every production input below is retained with its publisher and dataset. The ACS figures are five-year estimates, not live listings or guarantees.
- PopulationU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B01003
- Median household incomeU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B19013
- Median gross rentU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B25064
- Median owner-occupied home valueU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B25077
- Commute-time distributionU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B08303
Interpretation: The ACS 2024 five-year estimates generally summarize observations across 2020–2024. The commute number is a weighted midpoint estimate from table B08303. State income tax is not included in the modeled take-home result. Verify a current address, quote, commute, and tax situation before making a decision.