BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? Santa Ana, CA

F
Score
31/100
Rank #195 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Santa Ana can still work for remote work if you’re leaning into median household income and broadband subscription. Overall, it’s a more specialized pick in this set (#195 of 200). The main watch-out is bachelor’s+ rate.

Methodology · Sources · CA rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Santa Ana ranks here

  • Median household income: $88,354 (17% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 90% (1% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Typical rent (2BR): $2,071/mo (44% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Bachelor’s+ rate: 18% (48% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Work-from-home share: 9% (30% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
311,639
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 51%Female 49%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$2,071/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
9%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
90%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$88,354
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
18%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
11%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
22/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
90/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
28/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
89/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

34%
Less than HS
48%
HS / Some college
13%
Bachelor’s
5%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

9%
Work from home
91%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

90%
Broadband
10%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$2,071/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
90%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
9%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$88,354
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
18%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
11%

Similar cities (by score)

#193 Paterson, NJ
34/100
#194 San Bernardino, CA
33/100
#196 Elizabeth, NJ
31/100
#197 Miami, FL
30/100

FAQ

›What is Santa Ana’s remote work score and rank?
Santa Ana, CA scores F (31/100) and ranks #195 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Santa Ana city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Santa Ana, CA?
Population is about 311,639 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Santa Ana, CA?
About 51% male and 49% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in Santa Ana, CA?
Typical rent (2BR) is $2,071/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in Santa Ana, CA?
Work-from-home share is 9% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in Santa Ana, CA?
Broadband subscription is 90% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Santa Ana, CA?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 34%, HS/some college 48%, bachelor’s 13%, advanced 5%.
›Where does this data come from for Santa Ana, CA?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).