Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Santee vs Orangevale

468 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (5.7× in Santee) and home values (+29% in Santee).

×
Santee, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 59,332 people
×
Orangevale, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 35,958 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 · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,380 more a month in Santee

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 →
Orangevale$3,230/mo
Typical home $556K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.67% · or rent about $1,932/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,380 a month, about $16,600 a year, between Santee and Orangevale.

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.

Report cards

Santee places higher on 11 of 21 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.

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
SanteeOrangevale
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)86th38th
Outdoors & history
SanteeOrangevale
Conserved land10.7%8.2%
Settled1877—
National Register places11
Archive photos118
Famous people born here26
Community
SanteeOrangevale
Library hours a week45 hrs39 hrs
Colleges in town1—
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

468 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Santee ↔ Orangevale468 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.

SanteeOrangevale
People
Population 59,332Highest 35,958Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +12.4%Highest CA: +6.1% +4.7%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 40.3±1Lowest 6% above CA 41.3±1.8Highest 9% above CA
Orangevale 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% 21.4%±1.7Lowest CA: 22%
Santee and Orangevale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.5%±1.2Lowest CA: 15.7% 19.6%±1.3Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 35%Highest CA: 37.1% 32%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.9%±0.9Highest CA: 7.6% 6.8%±1.2Lowest CA: 7.6%
Santee and Orangevale 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 $99,832±$8kLowest about the CA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $727,200±$20kHighest about the CA average $565,100±$15kLowest 23% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,250±$84Highest 11% above CA $1,932±$93Lowest 5% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,840Highest 6% below CA $3,812Lowest 26% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 64.7%±4.8Highest CA: 55.3% 59.8%±10.7Lowest CA: 55.3%
Santee and Orangevale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.9%Lowest CA: 12% 10.4%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72.4%Lowest CA: 55.9% 75.5%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than CA 1976Lowest same as CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 7% below CA 28 minHighest about the CA average
Work from home 17.3%±1.5Lowest CA: 17.2% 19%±2.8Highest CA: 17.2%
Orangevale and Santee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 7.9%Highest 4.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 12.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.63Highest 0.34Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town San Diego (47%)Sacramento (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in OrangevaleFew work in Santee
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 10.7%Highest 8.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 64.6 miHighest 11.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 3.9 miHighest 1.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 13Highest 11Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 73.9Lowest 81.7Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #119 of 574 in CA#295 of 574 in CA
School district Grossmont Union High · SanteeGolden Valley Orchard District · Golden Valley River District
High school in town West Hills HighCasa Roble Fundamental High
Students per teacherat that high school 23.4Highest 21.2Lowest
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.

Orangevale neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Orangevale’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Santee and Orangevale

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.

Post to Santee

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in