Santa Ana's two crime numbers pull in opposite directions: violent crime runs 29% above the national rate while property crime sits 13% below it. One figure argues for caution, the other against it. The 11.4% violent-crime drop in 2024 puts the city on an improving trend, though it still ranks in the 12th percentile of the 13,216 jurisdictions SafeNest grades. Schools split the same way. The 5.3/10 average across 78 schools hides a real gap: high schools average 7.8/10 and Santa Ana High reaches 9.9, while elementary schools average 4.6, so a family with young children is buying into a different system than a family with teenagers. Flood exposure here is a state-level signal only: California's 41 federal flood declarations say nothing about a given parcel. Every figure on this page is a city-wide average, and none of it describes the block you are considering.
Crime in Santa Ana vs. the national average
Santa Ana reports 493 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 29% above the U.S. average of 381, and 1,702 property crimes per 100k versus a national 1,954 (13% below). In the most recent FBI reporting year (2024), the violent crime rate fell 11.4% year over year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as improving.
| Santa Ana | US average | |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crime (per 100k) | 493 | 381 |
| Property crime (per 100k) | 1702 | 1954 |
City-wide averages hide block-by-block variation — the safest and least safe neighborhoods in Santa Ana can differ dramatically. For a specific address, a SafeNest report covers it directly — or search free in the iPhone app.
Flood & natural hazard risk
Federal disaster records for California — the state SafeNest uses for Santa Ana's flood context — list 41 FEMA flood disaster declarations between 1954 and 2024, most recently "Severe Storm And Flooding". California has also seen 6 hurricane or tropical-storm declarations, events that frequently drive flooding. These are state-level federal declarations, not a parcel-level flood-zone determination — a specific Santa Ana address may sit inside or well outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine; check FEMA's flood maps and flood-insurance requirements for that address.
Schools in Santa Ana
Public schools in Santa Ana average 5.3/10 on the SafeNest School Score across 78 rated schools. By level, high schools rate strongest at 7.8/10 on average, while elementary schools average 4.6/10. The highest-scoring is Santa Ana High at 9.9/10.
Registered offenders
Registered-offender data is meaningful only at the address level, so SafeNest does not publish a city-wide figure for Santa Ana: a single citywide number would blend blocks with very different profiles and mislead more than it informs. Registered offender counts by distance band for any specific Santa Ana address are included in a SafeNest report, drawn directly from the state's public registry. The iPhone app shows that count free for any address, and maps each registrant with Premium.
Check a specific Santa Ana address
City averages are a starting point. A SafeNest report covers one specific address — crime, registered offender counts, flood and disaster history, schools, air quality, taxes — delivered by email as a PDF for $6.99.
Or search any Santa Ana address free in the iPhone app.
Common questions about safety in Santa Ana
Is Santa Ana, CA safe?
Santa Ana records 493 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 29% above the US national average of 381. Overall SafeNest grade: C, a city-wide average of reported crime. It does not describe a specific street or address.
What is the crime rate in Santa Ana?
Santa Ana reports approximately 493 violent crimes and 1702 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, the most recent FBI reporting year in our data.
Does Santa Ana have flood risk?
SafeNest reports federal disaster declaration history for the area. For Santa Ana, federal records show 41 FEMA flood disaster declarations for California, most recently in 2024; a specific address may still sit inside or outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine — check FEMA's flood maps for that address.
How this page was built
Every figure here comes from the same public records behind SafeNest's grading. We published the full method and what it does and doesn't support in We graded 13,216 American cities with FBI data — including where a letter grade means almost nothing. City comparisons: safest cities in California.
Other city safety reports
Data compiled from public sources including FBI crime statistics, FEMA disaster declarations and the FEMA National Risk Index, NCES education data, and state registries. Last updated 2026-08-17. Figures are city-level estimates; verify with primary sources before making decisions. SafeNest is not a consumer reporting agency (see Terms).