City comparison
No. Santa Ana's crime index is 107 versus 212 in San Antonio, and its violent crime index is 121 versus 164, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
San Antonio is cheaper. Median rent is $1,324 a month versus $2,082 in Santa Ana.
Safety is where San Antonio and Santa Ana split most clearly. Santa Ana scores 105 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,324 in San Antonio and $2,082 in Santa Ana.
This is a genuine split. San Antonio wins on cost of living and Santa Ana wins on the job market and safety. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The rent gap is real but neighborhoods matter. San Antonio at $1,324 average has pockets that run $1,124 and others at $1,724: your actual number depends on which part of the city you land in.
The move
San Antonio and Santa Ana are 1,177 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,324 a month in San Antonio to $2,082 a month in Santa Ana, up $758 a month (57%).
Median household income goes from $65,056 in San Antonio to $93,999 in Santa Ana, up $28,943 (44%).
The crime index goes from 212 in San Antonio to 107 in Santa Ana, down 105 points (50%).
The move
Santa Ana and San Antonio are 1,177 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $2,082 a month in Santa Ana to $1,324 a month in San Antonio, down $758 a month (36%).
Median household income goes from $93,999 in Santa Ana to $65,056 in San Antonio, down $28,943 (31%).
The crime index goes from 107 in Santa Ana to 212 in San Antonio, up 105 points (98%).
San Antonio, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Santa Ana, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing San Antonio and Santa Ana? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
36% cheaper
San Antonio rent is 36% cheaper than Santa Ana
San Antonio
Winner$1,324/mo
Santa Ana
$2,082/mo
Typical rent runs $1,324 a month in San Antonio versus $2,082 in Santa Ana, so San Antonio is 36% cheaper. That's roughly $758/month back in your pocket ($9,096/year). Over five years that's $45,480 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Santa Ana, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, San Antonio is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.
Planning to buy in Santa Ana? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
44% higher
Santa Ana's median income is 44% higher than San Antonio
San Antonio
$65,056
Santa Ana
Winner$93,999
Median household income is $93,999 in Santa Ana versus $65,056 in San Antonio, so typical pay runs 44% higher in Santa Ana (about $28,943 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Santa Ana is the stronger labor market on paper. San Antonio can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
50% lower crime
Santa Ana's crime index is 50% lower than San Antonio
San Antonio
212 (100 = avg)
Santa Ana
Winner107 (100 = avg)
Santa Ana's crime index is 107 versus 212 in San Antonio (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 50% lower in Santa Ana. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Santa Ana is the easier city. San Antonio can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
San Antonio and Santa Ana are about even on typical weather.
San Antonio
72°F avg · 82°F highs · comfort 100/100
Santa Ana
77°F avg · 83°F highs · comfort 100/100
San Antonio averages about 72°F (82°F highs); Santa Ana averages about 77°F (83°F highs). San Antonio sits near 72°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Santa Ana sits near 77°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to San Antonio
San Antonio is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 36% cheaper here at about $1,324 a month. Choose San Antonio if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Santa Ana is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 44% higher here ($93,999). Start with Santa Ana if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Santa Ana is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 50% lower than San Antonio (107 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
Crime and safety tilt toward Santa Ana: Santa Ana scores 58/100 versus 37/100 in San Antonio, with typical rent at $2,082 versus $1,324. I would vet the exact ZIP in San Antonio before trading 21 safety points for housing savings.
Santa Ana still pays more locally ($93,999 median income vs $65,056), which can offset the lease if your field pays Santa Ana rates.
Median income is $93,999 in Santa Ana versus $65,056 in San Antonio.
Santa Ana clears the bar on safety in this dataset. San Antonio deserves a serious look only when you already know the San Antonio block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for San Antonio and Santa Ana, plus other cities in TX and CA.
