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Compare towns

Santee vs Carson

100 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (21.5× in Santee) and work from home (+8.6 pts in Santee).

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Santee, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 59,332 people
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Carson, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 92,871 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Report cards

Santee places higher on 14 of 23 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Santee$4,610/mo
Typical home $796K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.67% · or rent about $2,250/mo · Housing →
Carson$4,530/mo
Typical home $786K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.62% · or rent about $1,956/mo · Housing →

The difference: $90 a month, about $1,000 a year, between Santee and Carson.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
SanteeCarson
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)86th87th
Outdoors & history
SanteeCarson
Trails65 mi3 mi
Conserved land10.7%2.6%
Settled18771968
National Register places1—
Archive photos111
Famous people born here241
Community
SanteeCarson
Library hours a week45 hrs40 hrs
Colleges in town11
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

100 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Santee ↔ Carson100 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

SanteeCarson
People
Population 59,332Lowest 92,871Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +12.4%Highest CA: +6.1% +4.2%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 40.3±1Lowest 6% above CA 41.7±1Highest 10% above CA
Carson and Santee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.1%±1.6Highest CA: 22% 20.1%±1.3Lowest CA: 22%
Age 65+ 16.5%±1.2Lowest CA: 15.7% 18.5%±1.1Highest CA: 15.7%
Carson and Santee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 35%Highest CA: 37.1% 29.3%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.9%±0.9Highest CA: 7.6% 6.4%±0.8Lowest CA: 7.6%
Santee and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $113,394±$6kHighest 14% above CA $108,703±$4kLowest 10% above CA
Santee and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $727,200±$20kHighest about the CA average $704,400±$14kLowest 4% below CA
Santee and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,250±$84Highest 11% above CA $1,956±$109Lowest 4% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,840Highest 6% below CA $4,361Lowest 15% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 64.7%±4.8Highest CA: 55.3% 52.9%±5.1Lowest CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 7.9%Lowest CA: 12% 8.7%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72.4%Lowest CA: 55.9% 74%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than CA 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 7% below CA 28 minHighest 4% below CA
Work from home 17.3%±1.5Highest CA: 17.2% 8.7%±0.9Lowest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 7.9%Highest 6.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 mi 11.3 mi
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.63Lowest 1.29Highest
Top workplaceoutside town San Diego (47%)Los Angeles (25%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CarsonFew work in Santee
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 10.7%Highest 2.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 64.6 miHighest 3.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 3.9 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 13Lowest 15Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 73.9Lowest 88.0Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #119 of 574 in CA#124 of 574 in CA
School district Grossmont Union High · SanteeMagnolia Science Academy 3 District · Compton Unified
High school in town West Hills HighCarson Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school 23.4Highest 18.5Lowest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Santee neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Santee’s Town Square.

Carson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Carson’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Santee and Carson

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Santee

Towns like Santee

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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