While big cities like Santa Ana offer culture, cuisine, and charisma, they also deliver terrible traffic, towering expenses, and a taxing quality of life.
With that in mind, we wanted to uncover the best suburbs around Santa Ana. These burbs have all of the benefits of being near Santa Ana without actually having to be in the city.
Of course, not all suburbs of Santa Ana are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. Using Saturday Night Science, we delve into the factors that matter most, from commutes and housing costs to community vibes, to help you uncover the perfect suburban spots in the Greater Santa Ana area.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 best suburbs to live around Santa Ana for 2024:
What’s the best suburb of Santa Ana? Palos Verdes Estates ranks as the best suburb of Santa Ana for 2024 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of Palos Verdes Estates, you’re probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.
We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 Santa Ana ‘burbs better than the rest–but first, a bit about our methodology.
Feel free to check out some more reading about California:
The 10 Best Santa Ana Suburbs To Live For 2024
/10
Population: 13,219
Median Income: $224,766
Unemployment Rate: 2.3%
Poverty Rate: 3.8%
More on Palos Verdes Estates: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Palos Verdes Estates is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the Santa Ana area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome Palos Verdes Estates.”
Everyone here is rich; families average $224,766 a year, which is the highest in the Santa Ana region. And only 2.28% are out of work. Homes average more than $2,717,769 each.
/10
Population: 70,620
Median Income: $134,033
Unemployment Rate: 5.0%
Poverty Rate: 5.3%
More on Redondo Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Redondo Beach is the second best ‘burb we looked at near Santa Ana for 2024.
It ranks 15th for incomes in the area and only 3.79% of residents lack insurance, good for 20th best.
/10
Population: 5,814
Median Income: $189,306
Unemployment Rate: 1.3%
Poverty Rate: 7.2%
More on Villa Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Here in Villa Park, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the Santa Ana metro area.
The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.
But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in Villa Park.
/10
Population: 85,159
Median Income: $149,471
Unemployment Rate: 4.1%
Poverty Rate: 7.9%
More on Newport Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Newport Beach ranks as the 4th best suburb of Santa Ana for 2024.
You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in Newport Beach and the schools are some of the best around.
/10
Population: 93,233
Median Income: $136,570
Unemployment Rate: 4.4%
Poverty Rate: 4.9%
More on Mission Viejo: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Coming in as the fifth best is Mission Viejo.
Mission Viejo gets kudos for having the 24th most expensive homes in the Santa Ana area, where houses sell for an average of $1,077,063. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.
/10
Population: 41,805
Median Income: $166,747
Unemployment Rate: 5.1%
Poverty Rate: 4.0%
More on Rancho Palos Verdes: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Rancho Palos Verdes is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.
Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 5.06%.
According to online reports, Rancho Palos Verdes is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the Santa Ana area, meaning you need to get in soon.
/10
Population: 5,599
Median Income: $179,990
Unemployment Rate: 1.8%
Poverty Rate: 4.1%
More on La Habra Heights: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The 7th best suburb on our list goes to La Habra Heights.
La Habra Heights schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.
And, it’s only 15.8 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.
/10
Population: 68,035
Median Income: $148,325
Unemployment Rate: 4.6%
Poverty Rate: 6.0%
More on Yorba Linda: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Yorba Linda is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.
A solid 3.39% of people lack insurance, good for 16th in the area.
/10
Population: 51,896
Median Income: $131,708
Unemployment Rate: 3.8%
Poverty Rate: 4.9%
More on Aliso Viejo: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Is ‘Everything Better In Aliso Viejo?’
Almost.
It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.
/10
Population: 47,702
Median Income: $150,146
Unemployment Rate: 3.3%
Poverty Rate: 3.9%
More on Rancho Santa Margarita: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
And rounding out the top ten for 2024 is Rancho Santa Margarita.
This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around Santa Ana for 2024
Figuring out the best suburbs around Santa Ana was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.
We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2018-2022 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:
- Low unemployment rate
- High median household incomes
- Population density (lots of things to do)
- High home values
- A lot of college-educated people
- Low poverty
- High rate of insured families
We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Santa Ana.
Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 3,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 100 suburbs to evaluate around Santa Ana.
We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 100 in each category, where 1 was the “best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.
Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near Santa Ana.” We’re lookin’ at you, Palos Verdes Estates.
This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.
We updated the data for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best Santa Ana suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.
Summary: Welcome to the Best Santa Ana ‘Burbs of 2024
We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.
The best suburbs of Santa Ana are .
So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like Santa Ana but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.
For more California reading, check out:
Table: Best Santa Ana Suburbs
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palos Verdes Estates, CA | 13,219 | $224,766 | $2,717,769 |
| 2 | Redondo Beach, CA | 70,620 | $134,033 | $1,379,761 |
| 3 | Villa Park, CA | 5,814 | $189,306 | $2,030,498 |
| 4 | Newport Beach, CA | 85,159 | $149,471 | $3,132,424 |
| 5 | Mission Viejo, CA | 93,233 | $136,570 | $1,077,063 |
| 6 | Rancho Palos Verdes, CA | 41,805 | $166,747 | $1,836,118 |
| 7 | La Habra Heights, CA | 5,599 | $179,990 | $1,294,550 |
| 8 | Yorba Linda, CA | 68,035 | $148,325 | $1,245,181 |
| 9 | Aliso Viejo, CA | 51,896 | $131,708 | $915,734 |
| 10 | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | 47,702 | $150,146 | $938,523 |
| 11 | Eastvale, CA | 69,594 | $151,615 | $884,749 |
| 12 | San Marino, CA | 12,442 | $174,253 | $2,524,471 |
| 13 | Dana Point, CA | 33,025 | $119,632 | $1,541,691 |
| 14 | San Clemente, CA | 64,232 | $134,730 | $1,564,490 |
| 15 | Cerritos, CA | 49,016 | $124,460 | $1,003,485 |
| 16 | La Palma, CA | 15,522 | $113,398 | $1,059,180 |
| 17 | Laguna Beach, CA | 22,943 | $141,875 | $2,817,490 |
| 18 | Rolling Hills Estates, CA | 8,214 | $179,917 | $1,986,586 |
| 19 | Laguna Niguel, CA | 64,259 | $135,822 | $1,312,612 |
| 20 | Torrance, CA | 145,454 | $109,554 | $1,140,607 |
| 21 | El Cerrito, CA | 25,869 | $120,414 | $1,162,177 |
| 22 | Walnut, CA | 28,212 | $130,444 | $1,093,688 |
| 23 | Huntington Beach, CA | 197,481 | $114,747 | $1,206,669 |
| 24 | Lake Forest, CA | 85,583 | $128,358 | $1,056,345 |
| 25 | Cypress, CA | 49,955 | $117,461 | $964,692 |
| 26 | Laguna Hills, CA | 31,170 | $122,902 | $1,076,942 |
| 27 | La Mirada, CA | 47,644 | $104,130 | $822,102 |
| 28 | Claremont, CA | 36,891 | $115,091 | $926,202 |
| 29 | Arcadia, CA | 56,181 | $108,214 | $1,326,864 |
| 30 | Brea, CA | 47,099 | $120,226 | $1,019,390 |
| 31 | Fountain Valley, CA | 56,754 | $108,860 | $1,200,770 |
| 32 | Lakewood, CA | 81,499 | $113,030 | $814,339 |
| 33 | Placentia, CA | 51,797 | $106,155 | $973,725 |
| 34 | Irvine, CA | 304,527 | $122,948 | $1,331,528 |
| 35 | Seal Beach, CA | 25,046 | $75,507 | $900,528 |
| 36 | Norco, CA | 25,328 | $120,636 | $821,192 |
| 37 | Diamond Bar, CA | 54,534 | $106,881 | $934,630 |
| 38 | Orange, CA | 138,728 | $109,335 | $991,595 |
| 39 | Lomita, CA | 20,662 | $87,717 | $879,224 |
| 40 | La Verne, CA | 31,239 | $103,816 | $888,737 |
| 41 | San Juan Capistrano, CA | 35,099 | $123,474 | $1,177,462 |
| 42 | Glendora, CA | 52,095 | $106,718 | $836,144 |
| 43 | Costa Mesa, CA | 111,490 | $104,981 | $1,211,464 |
| 44 | Chino Hills, CA | 78,223 | $117,548 | $913,774 |
| 45 | Buena Park, CA | 83,542 | $101,586 | $834,048 |
| 46 | Alhambra, CA | 82,295 | $80,234 | $883,188 |
| 47 | Signal Hill, CA | 11,678 | $96,385 | $695,986 |
| 48 | Tustin, CA | 79,514 | $102,065 | $1,015,712 |
| 49 | San Dimas, CA | 34,466 | $102,241 | $863,283 |
| 50 | Corona, CA | 158,346 | $103,727 | $721,686 |
| 51 | Whittier, CA | 86,459 | $89,686 | $756,497 |
| 52 | Upland, CA | 78,847 | $93,994 | $773,135 |
| 53 | Los Alamitos, CA | 11,728 | $100,987 | $1,427,481 |
| 54 | Covina, CA | 50,717 | $89,650 | $739,542 |
| 55 | Monterey Park, CA | 60,386 | $76,892 | $879,700 |
| 56 | San Gabriel, CA | 39,211 | $84,056 | $1,017,443 |
| 57 | Fullerton, CA | 142,280 | $99,279 | $936,138 |
| 58 | West Covina, CA | 108,173 | $96,219 | $785,843 |
| 59 | Downey, CA | 113,052 | $84,236 | $809,809 |
| 60 | Gardena, CA | 60,377 | $75,443 | $752,319 |
| 61 | Norwalk, CA | 101,893 | $91,259 | $694,399 |
| 62 | Rosemead, CA | 51,043 | $70,073 | $827,126 |
| 63 | Temple, CA | 5,395 | $71,917 | $278,708 |
| 64 | Garden Grove, CA | 171,637 | $86,139 | $867,160 |
| 65 | Duarte, CA | 21,686 | $93,908 | $736,339 |
| 66 | La Habra, CA | 62,904 | $93,801 | $802,058 |
| 67 | Laguna Woods, CA | 17,452 | $56,928 | $409,471 |
| 68 | Santa Fe Springs, CA | 18,840 | $81,500 | $711,899 |
| 69 | Pico Rivera, CA | 61,561 | $82,539 | $694,218 |
| 70 | Artesia, CA | 16,237 | $92,702 | $765,251 |
| 71 | Carson, CA | 94,475 | $103,045 | $750,385 |
| 72 | Chino, CA | 91,008 | $99,385 | $711,183 |
| 73 | Anaheim, CA | 347,111 | $88,538 | $844,174 |
| 74 | Westminster, CA | 90,638 | $80,271 | $952,142 |
| 75 | Long Beach, CA | 462,293 | $78,995 | $799,165 |
| 76 | Midway, CA | 3,500 | $58,393 | $252,104 |
| 77 | La Puente, CA | 37,835 | $77,702 | $655,653 |
| 78 | Lawndale, CA | 31,553 | $76,213 | $744,065 |
| 79 | Hawaiian Gardens, CA | 14,011 | $73,510 | $571,342 |
| 80 | Hawthorne, CA | 86,978 | $72,298 | $845,860 |
| 81 | Stanton, CA | 38,271 | $76,123 | $701,971 |
| 82 | Bellflower, CA | 78,352 | $75,379 | $736,258 |
| 83 | Azusa, CA | 49,704 | $81,516 | $657,103 |
| 84 | Paramount, CA | 53,255 | $67,197 | $599,020 |
| 85 | Montebello, CA | 62,056 | $72,317 | $752,515 |
| 86 | Baldwin Park, CA | 71,692 | $76,002 | $653,339 |
| 87 | Ontario, CA | 176,326 | $78,070 | $627,446 |
| 88 | El Monte, CA | 108,682 | $59,929 | $705,480 |
| 89 | Maywood, CA | 25,009 | $57,615 | $603,697 |
| 90 | Montclair, CA | 37,842 | $72,789 | $614,701 |
| 91 | South Gate, CA | 92,381 | $67,188 | $635,980 |
| 92 | Pomona, CA | 149,831 | $73,515 | $619,187 |
| 93 | Commerce, CA | 12,253 | $66,071 | $636,672 |
| 94 | Bell Gardens, CA | 39,263 | $53,935 | $632,331 |
| 95 | Bell, CA | 33,377 | $56,685 | $634,376 |
| 96 | South El Monte, CA | 19,694 | $67,724 | $697,787 |
| 97 | Lynwood, CA | 66,346 | $67,350 | $624,911 |
| 98 | Compton, CA | 94,822 | $69,728 | $584,418 |
| 99 | Huntington Park, CA | 54,547 | $54,073 | $613,597 |
| 100 | Cudahy, CA | 22,657 | $49,596 | $624,322 |
