Santa Ana Apartments & Rentals

Santa Ana was incorporated in 1869 after William H. Spurgeon purchased 70 acres from the Yorba family and plotted a town site. After Orange County separated from Los Angeles in 1889, Santa Ana became the county seat, and is now serves all of Orange County as the government and financial center. It has grown to be the second largest city in Orange County, and residents enjoy the convenience of living in between the large metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and San Diego. The strong economy and temperate climate make Santa Ana apartments for rent an excellent choice for people interested in moving to the Orange County area.

Santa Ana housed 340,368 residents as of 2005, and covers approximately 27 square miles within Orange County. Because it is the center of Orange County government, the daytime population increases to account for commuter traffic.

Santa Ana is in close proximity to other popular Orange County locations such as Tustin, Fountain Valley and Costa Mesa, and many residents utilize the convenient freeway system to travel within Orange County for work or school. It is also a short drive to major Orange County attractions such as Disneyland or the Huntington Beach pier; a world-class shopping experience is only minutes away at the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, and Santa Ana residents can easily commute to the John Wayne International Airport. Santa Ana lends its name to Interstate 5, the Santa Ana Freeway, as well as the famous Santa Ana winds that have fueled fires throughout the Southern California region.

The County of Orange is the top employer in Santa Ana, followed by Ingram Micro, Rancho Santiago College District, the United States Postal Service and Tenet Healthcare. One of the most notable businesses in Santa Ana is Rickenbacker International, a musical instrument company that has produced guitars used by legendary performers.

Santa Ana College is a public community college within the city, and the California Coast University specializes in online distance learning, with its headquarters in Santa Ana. Another correspondence school is Taft Law School, and the Detective Training Institute provides distance learning for individuals seeking private investigator diplomas.

The median income in Santa Ana is $43,412, and many working class families choose to stay in this Orange County city because the cost of living is cheaper than that of others in Orange County. According to city-data.com, the median gross rent for an apartment in Santa Ana was $1,242 in 2009.

Santa Ana's Bowers Museum, started in the 1930s, is home to numerous Central American artifacts and hosts lectures and performances throughout the year. Another popular museum in Santa Ana is the Heritage Museum of Orange County, which is famous for its historic plaza featuring buildings from the 1980s amid gardens and citrus groves. Families in Santa Ana enjoy the affordable prices and quaint atmosphere provided by the Santa Ana Zoo; it has been known as "home of the 50 monkeys" ever since its founder requested that 50 monkeys remain on the premises at all times.

California State University, Fullerton, in partnership with the city of Santa Ana, operates the Grand Central Art Center in the artists village district of downtown Santa Ana. The center features a 45,000 square foot, three-level structure, and features a rental and sales gallery, a watermark printmaking workshop, classrooms and a community room, along with living spaces dedicated to international students participating in the residency program.

To find your next rental apartment or house in Santa Ana, take a look at our listings on Rent.com®.