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Living in Santee, CA

Suburb in California

Santee is a suburb in California, home to about 59,000 people, with 2.9 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Santee a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 13 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
  • Easy flying: SAN is 14 mi away
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.4× the US rate (FBI 2019)

👎 Cons

  • Few dog parks: 12 within 9 mi
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $779k, and rent is $4,000 a month
  • Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.68% property tax

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Santee ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
59,000
2.9 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
69°F / 85°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$779k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$4,000/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
112
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,279
State income tax per resident · 0.68% property tax
Safety
0.4× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
11 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, earthquakes
Top-rated hospitals
13
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
33%
3 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SAN
14 mi away

Living in Santee: common questions

What is the cost of living in Santee?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $779k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $4,000 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 112, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Santee?

California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.68% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Santee safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.4× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Santee?

Santee is warm all year: winter days average around 69°F and summer days around 85°F.

Does Santee get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and earthquakes: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.21 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Santee?

The nearest major airport is SAN, about 14 mi away.

How Santee scores

Each bar compares Santee with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Mid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Warm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Poor
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Good
🧸Kids & family Average
🐕Dog-friendly Poor
⛰️Outdoors Average
🎭Culture Good
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Excellent
🌤️Mild summers Good
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Santee right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.