San Bernardino vs Santa Ana
The short version
- San Bernardino is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 6% lower than in the Santa Ana area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $422,300 in San Bernardino and $713,000 in Santa Ana.
- Households earn more in Santa Ana ($93,999 vs $67,415 median).
- San Bernardino has more scorching days: 104 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 30.
- Commutes are shorter in Santa Ana (25 vs 30 minutes each way).
Side by side
| San Bernardino, CA | Santa Ana, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 222,044 | 315,586 |
| Growth since 2020 | +0% | +1.6% |
| People per square mile | 3,575 | 11,528 |
| Median age | 32.2 | 34.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13% | 18% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $67,415 | $93,999 |
| Median home value | $422,300 | $713,000 |
| Home value to income | 6.3× | 7.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,508 | $2,082 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 106.4 | 113.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 129.3 | 170.4 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $79,800 | $85,200 |
| Homeowners | 50% | 45% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 29.7 | 24.5 |
| Work from home | 6% | 9% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.1% | 4.8% |
| Poverty rate | 18.6% | 10.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 67° / 41° | 69° / 49° |
| July high / low | 95° / 63° | 83° / 65° |
| Precipitation per year | 13 in | 13 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 104 | 30 |
| Nights below freezing | 3 | 0 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 12 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.8 | 99.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 7% | 11% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.8% | +3.3% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.9% | +45.5% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: San Bernardino: February to May and October to November. Santa Ana: January to December.
Full monthly tables: San Bernardino weather by month and Santa Ana weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $79,800 in San Bernardino and $85,200 in Santa Ana. Moving from San Bernardino to Santa Ana, you would need about $80,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between San Bernardino and Santa Ana
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from San Bernardino and Santa Ana.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.