What’s the best part of Santa Ana?
It could be where everyone knows their neighbor. Or it could be where home prices are the highest, meaning it’s where everyone wants to live.
Instead of relying on public opinion and speculation, we wanted to get the facts straight and find out which neighborhoods in Santa Ana are the best based on Saturday Night Science.
Whether you live in the sticks or in an apartment building downtown, you want a little pocket that you can call home. And each neighborhood offers different perks and benefits.
Smaller neighborhoods usually have obvious benefits — less crime, a slower pace of life, and a lower cost of living. But not all Santa Ana neighborhoods are created equal. Some are better than others. But which ones?
If you’re thinking of moving to California and Santa Ana is on the top of your list, check out the best neighborhoods for 2024.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
So what’s the best neighborhood to live in Santa Ana for 2024? According to the most recent census data, Sandpointe looks to be the best Santa Ana neighborhood to live in.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Santa Ana that deserve a little bragging rights, or maybe you’re interested in the worst neighborhoods in Santa Ana.
For more California reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In California
- Cheapest Places To Live In California
- Most Dangerous Cities In California
The 10 Best Neighborhoods To Live In Santa Ana
Population: 4,412
Median Home Value: $666,200 (Third best)
Median Income: $114,710 (Fourth best)
More on Sandpointe: Data | Real Estate
Population: 2,698
Median Home Value: $564,150 (2best)
Median Income: $84,124 (19th best)
More on Morning Sunwood: Data | Real Estate
Population: 5,172
Median Home Value: $562,000 (22nd best)
Median Income: $98,520 (Tenth best)
More on Wilshire Square: Data | Real Estate
Population: 1,358
Median Home Value: $599,800 (12th best)
Median Income: $96,886 (11th best)
More on Portola Park: Data | Real Estate
Population: 4,126
Median Home Value: $600,100 (11th best)
Median Income: $96,141 (12th best)
More on Thornton Park: Data | Real Estate
Population: 1,217
Median Home Value: $592,500 (15th best)
Median Income: $107,376 (Sixth best)
More on Republic Homes: Data | Real Estate
Population: 628
Median Home Value: $608,700 (Tenth best)
Median Income: $101,625 (Eighth best)
More on Edna Park: Data | Real Estate
Population: 3,205
Median Home Value: $579,800 (17th best)
Median Income: $94,036 (14th best)
More on Bristol-Warner: Data | Real Estate
Population: 2,081
Median Home Value: $769,950 (Second best)
Median Income: $92,853 (15th best)
More on Floral Park: Data | Real Estate
Population: 7,346
Median Home Value: $523,920 (28th best)
Median Income: $77,837 (26th best)
More on Madison Park: Data | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Santa Ana, CA Neighborhoods In 2024
To rank the best neighborhoods in Santa Ana, we had to determine what criteria define “best” and then apply Saturday Night Science to it.
Using FBI crime, Census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:
- High incomes
- Low unemployment rates
- Low crime
- High home prices
- High population densities (A proxy for things to do)
We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 55 in each category, where 1 was the best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.
And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index, the “Best City Neighborhood In Santa Ana.” We’re lookin’ at you, Sandpointe.
Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the best places Santa Ana, California has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city, from best to worst.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best neighborhoods to live in Santa Ana.
Summary: Putting A Bow On Our Analysis Of The Best Neighborhoods In Santa Ana
If you’re measuring the neighborhoods in Santa Ana where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best neighborhoods in Santa Ana are Sandpointe, Morning Sunwood, Wilshire Square, Portola Park, Thornton Park, Republic Homes, Edna Park, Bristol-Warner, Floral Park, and Madison Park.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Santa Ana aren’t all good. Mar-Les takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Santa Ana.
The worst neighborhoods in Santa Ana are Mar-Les, French Court, Lyon Street, Santa Anita, and French Park.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below.
For more California reading, check out:
Best Neighborhoods To Live In Santa Ana For 2024 Detailed Data
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sandpointe | 4,412 | $666,200 | $114,710 |
| 2 | Morning Sunwood | 2,698 | $564,150 | $84,124 |
| 3 | Wilshire Square | 5,172 | $562,000 | $98,520 |
| 4 | Portola Park | 1,358 | $599,800 | $96,886 |
| 5 | Thornton Park | 4,126 | $600,100 | $96,141 |
| 6 | Republic Homes | 1,217 | $592,500 | $107,376 |
| 7 | Edna Park | 628 | $608,700 | $101,625 |
| 8 | Bristol-Warner | 3,205 | $579,800 | $94,036 |
| 9 | Floral Park | 2,081 | $769,950 | $92,853 |
| 10 | Madison Park | 7,346 | $523,920 | $77,837 |
| 11 | Memorial Park | 12,607 | $492,140 | $95,710 |
| 12 | West Grove Valley | 1,719 | $577,500 | $101,429 |
| 13 | West Floral Park | 3,285 | $615,067 | $90,561 |
| 14 | Sunwood Central | 5,835 | $598,150 | $105,991 |
| 15 | Fisher Park | 1,295 | $639,400 | $115,058 |
| 16 | Grand Sunrise | 704 | $533,700 | $73,969 |
| 17 | Laurelhurst | 1,655 | $572,600 | $129,519 |
| 18 | Park Santiago | 5,112 | $626,700 | $83,183 |
| 19 | Valley Adams | 3,144 | $483,700 | $79,516 |
| 20 | Windsor Village | 3,128 | $546,000 | $110,341 |
| 21 | Washington Square | 4,116 | $617,350 | $70,270 |
| 22 | South Coast | 3,168 | $413,267 | $82,489 |
| 23 | Riverview West | 32,911 | $485,875 | $69,566 |
| 24 | Fairbridge Square | 309 | $433,900 | $82,951 |
| 25 | Concord | 899 | $598,700 | $116,335 |
| 26 | Riverview | 4,272 | $618,200 | $82,570 |
| 27 | Riverglen | 449 | $830,600 | $68,750 |
| 28 | Eastside | 13,668 | $471,625 | $62,877 |
| 29 | Mabury Park | 2,797 | $519,600 | $75,576 |
| 30 | Shadow Run | 1,686 | $388,100 | $53,650 |
| 31 | Delhi | 5,406 | $467,525 | $86,884 |
| 32 | Lacy | 6,258 | $506,567 | $50,519 |
| 33 | Central City | 7,331 | $484,925 | $84,606 |
| 34 | Meredith Parkwood | 2,480 | $587,400 | $76,426 |
| 35 | Saddleback View | 1,580 | $570,700 | $64,366 |
| 36 | Flower Park | 5,166 | $394,000 | $59,043 |
| 37 | Morrison-Eldridge Par | 2,072 | $526,850 | $46,016 |
| 38 | Artesia Pilar | 14,248 | $489,350 | $73,812 |
| 39 | Mid-City | 8,886 | $369,700 | $61,060 |
| 40 | Santa Ana Triangle | 1,921 | $551,300 | $54,199 |
| 41 | Centennial Park | 3,324 | $495,250 | $82,359 |
| 42 | Logan | 1,772 | $459,733 | $57,094 |
| 43 | Bella Vista | 4,633 | $456,833 | $73,842 |
| 44 | Bristol Memory | 843 | $526,850 | $46,016 |
| 45 | Cornerstone Village | 3,721 | $476,700 | $60,801 |
| 46 | Northwest | 828 | $648,150 | $62,644 |
| 47 | Heninger Park | 6,873 | $457,633 | $54,768 |
| 48 | New Horizons | 4,380 | $450,850 | $67,750 |
| 49 | Pico-Lowell | 10,654 | $448,500 | $62,386 |
| 50 | Cedar Evergreen | 1,381 | $417,200 | $44,063 |
| 51 | French Park | 2,313 | $425,067 | $47,716 |
| 52 | Santa Anita | 11,893 | $393,975 | $65,397 |
| 53 | Lyon Street | 4,667 | $297,350 | $57,749 |
| 54 | French Court | 2,103 | $396,600 | $47,222 |
| 55 | Mar-Les | 763 | $229,900 | $64,427 |