Incorporated in 1886, the City of Santa Ana is a 27-square mile, ethnically diverse city located roughly 10 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, 35 miles south of Los Angeles, 70 miles from San Diego, and 90 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. Home to a vibrant evening scene and arts community, Santa Ana is the county seat and downtown for the world-famous Orange County, California.
With a total population of over 310,000, Santa Ana is Orange County’s second largest city and comprises more than 60 distinct and thriving neighborhoods. Santa Ana is the fourth-densest city among cities in the United States with a population of over 250,000.
Santa Ana attracts a diverse population that appreciates Santa Ana's distinctive housing choices, energetic nightlife, culinary options, and cultural amenities like the historic Downtown Santa Ana, Artist’s Village, Discovery Cube Orange County, Heritage Museum of Orange County, Bowers Museum, Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park, and more. Santa Ana is also home to the soon-to-be-completed OC Streetcar, Orange County’s first modern streetcar and light rail that will improve connectivity to all parts of Southern California with climate resilience in mind.
Santa Ana has a large and diverse business base, with over 30,000 businesses that employ over 150,000 people. Santa Ana is the corporate headquarters of several large companies, including Behr Paint and First American Financial Corporation. In 2016, Standard and Poor’s assigned the City of Santa Ana an AA+ issuer credit rating.
Over 1,400 City employees work hard every day to reimagine local government and deliver efficient public services in partnership with the community to ensure public safety, a prosperous economic environment, opportunities for our youth, and a high quality of life for residents.
