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Living in
Santee.
About
Life in Santee
Santee feels like a solid suburban choice if you're looking for a San Diego County location without the crowding of the city proper. You're getting a community of nearly 60,000 people where about 54% of households are married couples and over a third have children—it's decidedly family-oriented. Housing costs are substantial at a median home value around $727,200 and median rent of $2,250, reflecting the broader San Diego market, though your median household income of $113,394 provides some cushion.
Santee at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.9%
Foreign-Born
13.7%
Broadband Internet
95.3%
of households
Population Growth
-3.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Santee: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Santee, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (20.8%), and 9.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.1%
of residents
65 and Older
16.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
22.8%
of households
Married Couples
56.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.73
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 11% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Santee
In Santee, rent runs 11% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
61.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
111.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,840
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
72.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1979
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $795,214 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Santee and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Santee is 1 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Santee Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA metro area
Commute26.7 min avg
How Santee residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Santee, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 mi
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Major hub12.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 51% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Santee runs 51% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
161.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
475.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Santee Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 25 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
San Diego County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In San Diego County, which includes Santee, the most common type is high wind, with 25 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | Heavy Rain | $110,000 |
| 2024 | 56 | High Wind | $30.9M |
| 2023 | 67 | High Wind | $13,000 |
| 2022 | 92 | High Wind | $11,000 |
| 2021 | 93 | High Wind | $4.2M |
| 2020 | 56 | High Wind | $4.5M |
| 2019 | 69 | High Wind | $1.0M |
| 2018 | 42 | High Wind | $680,100 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
220 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Diego County, county-wide
Santee is about 2% of San Diego County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality67 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in San Diego County, which includes Santee, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
67
Good Days
64
per year
Moderate Days
268
per year
Unhealthy Days
7
per year
San Diego County, county-wide
Santee is about 2% of San Diego County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate85°F summers, 43°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Santee has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and mild winters (avg low 43°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/55°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
69°/43°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
11.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
57
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
3
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
49
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69°F | 43°F | 2.32" |
| Feb | 69°F | 44°F | 2.61" |
| Mar | 71°F | 48°F | 1.92" |
| Apr | 75°F | 51°F | 0.75" |
| May | 76°F | 56°F | 0.30" |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 0.06" |
| Jul | 86°F | 63°F | 0.16" |
| Aug | 89°F | 65°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 87°F | 62°F | 0.11" |
| Oct | 81°F | 56°F | 0.54" |
| Nov | 75°F | 47°F | 1.01" |
| Dec | 69°F | 42°F | 1.83" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Santee
Uninsured
3.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Santee's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Grossmont Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.4 mi away · La Mesa
Alvarado Parkway Institute Behavioral Health Syste
Psychiatric · 6.6 mi away · La Mesa
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.7 mi away · San Diego
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education35.0% college degree rate
Schools and degree attainment in Santee
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
35.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Santee (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 35,377 students · in-state tuition $9,180 · 83% graduate · median earnings $73,494 (10 yrs after entry)
University of California-San Diego
14.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 34,948 students · in-state tuition $17,337 · 89% graduate · median earnings $96,197 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 18,614 students · in-state tuition $1,356 · 31% graduate · median earnings $47,535 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 16,098 students · in-state tuition $1,154 · 23% graduate · median earnings $50,947 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 12,163 students · in-state tuition $1,332 · 28% graduate · median earnings $45,404 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 11,271 students · in-state tuition $1,154 · 22% graduate · median earnings $53,737 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Cabrillo National Monument, 20 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Santee
Santee has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cabrillo National Monument (20 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Cabrillo National Monument
National Monument
20 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
72 mi awayJoshua Tree National Park
National Park
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Santee
Santee Library
9225 Carlton Hills Blvd. #17, Santee
Cities Near Santee
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Santee?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Santee FAQ
Is Santee, California affordable?⌄
Santee's median rent is $2,250/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $113,394/year. Median home value is $727,200.
Is Santee, California safe?⌄
Santee's violent crime rate was 161 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 475 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Santee, California?⌄
Santee has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Santee, California?⌄
The cost of living in Santee is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,250/month and median household income is $113,394/year. The median home value is $727,200. About 62% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Santee, California?⌄
The average commute in Santee is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from