Edgemoor Farm Dairy Barn · National Register of Historic Places
Santee’s story
149 years in pictures
1 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 1 places on the National Register.
- 1877Santee is settled
SanteeCA
A city of 59,332, settled in 1877. Nearly 10.7% of it is conserved land.
Population
59,332
+12.4% since 2010
Typical home
$796K
−1.5% in a year
Household income
$113K
median
Median age
40.3
years
Jobs based here
16,573
A commuter town
What makes Santee stand out
The 3 things Santee does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#40 most trails in CA
65 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
10.7% of the town is conserved land.
B+School Grade
Schools
#119 for schools in CA
of 574 towns
School Grade B+.
100 U.S. towns● Santee
Health
Healthier than 77%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than CA on 10 measures, worse on 2.
A growing town
Santee has grown 12.4% since 2010
53,413 people in 2010; 59,332 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Santee’s report card
Outdoors65 mi#40 for trails in CASchoolsB+Beats 72% of CA districtsCommute11 miHalf of commuters travel lessHealthA−Healthier than 77% of U.S. townsHousing$796K4% above the CA typical homeHazards86/100Very high risk of storm & flood damageClimate89°/42°Summer high · winter lowSafetyBLess crime than 58% of U.S. towns
Now in Santee
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Santee is #40 of 677 in CA for “Most trails”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Santee’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →65°
Sunny
H 104° · L 76°
Local news
All →- West Hills vs Steele Canyon - Boys Varsity Basketball 02/05/2027 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 25
- Santana vs Grossmont - Boys Varsity Water Polo 09/25/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 20
- Santana vs Helix - Girls Varsity Volleyball 09/30/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 16
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Santee. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
10.7% of Santee is conserved land
65 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves.
#40for trails in CA
10.7%
conserved · 1,145 of 10,653 acres
65 mi
of trails · 3.9 per sq mi
#231
most conserved land in CA
#401
most walkable in CA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. San Diego River | 2.9 mi | 103 |
| 2. Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve | 1.4 mi | 183 |
| 3. Walker Preserve Trail | 1.2 mi | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Schools
Santee’s public schools outperform 72% of California districts
The public schools Santee’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 72% of California’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Seco Elementary | K–8 | 913 | A |
| Cajon Park Elementary | K–8 | 830 | B+ |
| Carlton Oaks Elementary | K–8 | 823 | A− |
| Hill Creek Elementary | K–8 | 695 | B+ |
| Chet F. Harritt Elementary | K–8 | 606 | A− |
| Carlton Hills Elementary | K–8 | 601 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduationAll 12 schools →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Santee
Most working residents leave Santee for work: only 8% work in town. The top destinations are San Diego (47%), El Cajon (7%) and La Mesa (3%). Half commute less than 11 miles.
8%work in town
Where working residents work
In Santee8%
San Diego47%
El Cajon7%
La Mesa3%
Poway3%
11 mi
median commute distance
16,573
jobs based in Santee
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 77% of U.S. towns
Santee beats the California average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
A−Health Grade
32 measures vs. California
10 better20 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Santee | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.8% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 13.3% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 8% | 6.4% |
Grossmont Hospital
5.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
67th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Housing
A typical Santee home is worth about $796K
The typical Santee home is worth about $796,000, down 1.5% in a year, close to the California typical home.
$796KZillow home value
Typical home value
Santee$796K
California$764K
Market temperature
20
days on market
100.3%
sale-to-list price
−1.5%
value change, 1 year
45
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 86% of U.S. communities.
86risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesWildfire
5
paid flood claims since 1993
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Santee has warm winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 42°, and snow is almost unheard of.
89°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter43–69°
Spring50–74°
Summer61–85°
Fall53–81°
+2.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
89°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 58% of U.S. towns
Santee reports less crime per resident than 58% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
BSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Santee1.6
California4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Santee4.7
California18.2
U.S.15.5
58th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
84th
percentile among CA towns
95
violent crimes reported in 2025
278
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Get outside
65 miles of trails in Santee
10.7% of the town is conserved land, across 13 parks and preserves.
2
Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve1.4 mi of trails · 183 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Santee
City in California, United States
Santee is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. The population was 60,037 at the 2020 census. It is a part of the East County region. The city is bisected by the San Diego River, a linear greenbelt that includes parks, trails and more than 1,100 acres (450 ha) of natural habitat.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1877
- Population
- 60,037
- Area
- 17 sq mi
- Elevation
- 351 ft
- ZIP code
- 92071, 92072
- Area code
- 619
Santee’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Santee.
San DiegoEl CajonWinter GardensBostoniaEucalyptus HillsSantee
More about Santee
Still missing for Santee:a photo of Santeeupcoming events