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D-

Is Santa Ana, California Safe?

Population 315,586 · Safer than 10% of US cities

Improving· 2023 FBI UCR data

Santa Ana has a crime problem that shows up in the data. The D- safety grade reflects a violent crime rate close to the national average and an overall rate of 295 per 1,000 residents. Property crime makes up the majority of offenses, with theft at 1,999 per 100K.

Santa Ana Crime Rates vs State and National Averages

MetricSanta AnaCalifornia AvgNational Avg
Violent Crime Rate360.7333.9363.8
Property Crime Rate2588.92099.21,832.3
Murder Rate8.0--5.7
Assault Rate286.0--268.2
Theft Rate1999.0--1,401.5
Vehicle Theft Rate643.0--318.3

All rates per 100,000 residents. 2024 FBI Uniform Crime Report + Census Bureau population estimates.

Overall SafetyD-

295 crimes per 1,000 residents

Violent CrimeC-

361/100K (national avg: 364)

Property CrimeF

2589/100K (national avg: 1,832)

Key Crime Statistics for Santa Ana

Violent crime in Santa Ana is close to the national average. The rate of 360.7 per 100K falls below the national 363.8.

Property crime is well above the national average at 2588.9 per 100K vs. the national 1,832.3.

Theft is the most reported crime at 1,999 per 100K. The national average is 1,401.5.

Santa Ana Crime Breakdown by Category

Murder8
01.4x national avgAvg: 5.7
Assault286
01.1x national avgAvg: 268.2
Robbery73
01.2x national avgAvg: 63.3
Burglary396
01.5x national avgAvg: 269.8
Theft1,999
01.4x national avgAvg: 1,401.5
Vehicle Theft643
02.0x national avgAvg: 318.3

Rates per 100,000 residents. Vertical marker = national average.

How Santa Ana Compares

Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)

Santa Ana
360.7
State
333.9
National
363.8

Property Crime Rate (per 100K)

Santa Ana
2588.9
State
2099.2
National
1832.3

Rates per 100,000 residents. National averages from 2023 FBI UCR data.

Frequently Asked Questions About Santa Ana Safety

Is Santa Ana safe?
Not especially. Santa Ana earns a D- with a crime rate of 295 per 1,000 residents, and violent crime runs close to the national average. Standard precautions apply, especially at night.
What is the crime rate in Santa Ana?
295 per 1,000 residents. That breaks down to a violent crime rate of 360.7 per 100,000 (the national average is 363.8) and property crime at 2588.9 per 100,000 (national average: 1832.3).
Is Santa Ana safe for tourists?
Exercise extra caution. Santa Ana's D- grade reflects real risk, particularly for property crime. Theft (1,999 per 100K) is the biggest concern for visitors. Stay in well-lit, busy areas at night.
What are the safest neighborhoods in Santa Ana?
Neighborhood-level data varies, but suburban residential areas in Santa Ana generally report lower crime than downtown or commercial districts. For block-level detail, check the Santa Ana police department's crime map.
Is crime increasing in Santa Ana?
No. Crime in Santa Ana has been trending down, which is good news for the D--rated city.
How does Santa Ana compare to other cities in California?
Below average for the state. Santa Ana ranks behind about 93% of California cities on safety, with property crime being the bigger issue at 1.4x the national rate.
How safe is Santa Ana to live in?
Worth factoring into your decision. Violent crime is close to the national average, which is encouraging. Crime has been dropping, which helps.
How bad is crime in Santa Ana?
Bad. A D- grade and 295 per-thousand rate put Santa Ana below 90% of US cities. Violent crime at 361 per 100K is the core problem.
What is the violent crime rate in Santa Ana?
360.7 per 100,000, which is 1% below the national average of 363.8. That includes assault (286), robbery (73), and murder (8.0) per 100,000.

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View all California city safety grades

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2024 FBI Uniform Crime Report data and Census Bureau population estimates. Safety grades calculated using national and state-level crime rate distributions. Not a substitute for local law enforcement guidance.

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