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CITY

Santee

California · 58,205 residents (2025 est.) · 16.5 sq mi
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The short version

Santee is home to 59,332 people in California. Home values have more than tripled since 2000, reaching $727,200. That puts it in the top 5% of US cities for household income. Median rent is $2,250 a month. There are 3,588 people per square mile. Households take in $113,394 a year at the median, 38% more than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.3
US median: 38.9
Average education
35% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 131%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
59,332
+12%since 2000
from 52,975 in 2000
58,205 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
3,588 / sq mi
+11%since 2009
from 3,223 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
40.3
+16%since 2000
from 34.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
16.5 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
52K54K56K59K61K19902000201020202024Santee
202459K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.8%(4,062)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(3,580)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.6%(3,926)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.2%(3,089)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.8%(2,276)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.7%(8,109)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4415.3%(9,059)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.8%(7,616)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.2%(7,803)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.4%(6,176)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.7%(2,808)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.4%(828)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$113,394
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,624 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$49,612
+133%since 2000
from $21,311 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
68.0%
+24.4 ptssince 2009
from 43.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
7.9%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 5.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.409
+17%since 2010
from 0.349 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information9.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade9.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade8%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services6.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration4.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical3.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food2.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$727,200
+131%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $172,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$2,250
+48%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $833 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
72.4%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 71.0% in 2000
27.6% rent
Vacancy rate
3.0%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.73 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.82 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
29.4%
−17.0 ptssince 2009
from 46.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
61.5%
+11.8 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
6.4
+6%since 2009
from 6.1 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
77
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic80.8%(42,803)
Black1.4%(751)
Hispanic / Latino11.4%(6,016)
Asian2.5%(1,307)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic62.9%(37,341)
Black1.8%(1,041)
Hispanic / Latino20.9%(12,405)
Asian6.5%(3,858)
Other7.9%(4,687)
Diversity Score
69
+29%since 2009
from 53 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican17.2%(10,200)
Puerto Rican0.6%(333)
Spaniard0.5%(267)
Salvadoran0.4%(248)
Dominican0.3%(156)
Colombian0.2%(143)
Peruvian0.2%(133)
Guatemalan0.2%(119)
Ecuadorian0.1%(34)
Costa Rican0.1%(33)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Venezuelan0.1%(30)
Argentine0%(26)
Chilean0%(16)
Cuban0%(5)
Asian origin
Filipino3%(1,759)
Vietnamese1.3%(759)
Chinese1%(594)
Japanese0.4%(263)
Korean0.1%(87)
Asian Indian0.1%(55)
Cambodian0.1%(44)
Burmese0.1%(34)
Thai0%(26)
Hmong0%(25)
Laotian0%(19)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.5%(286)
Chamorro0.3%(198)
Guamanian0%(26)
Fijian0%(11)
Tongan0%(9)
Ancestry
German13.6%(8,091)
English12.5%(7,410)
Irish12%(7,094)
Italian5.5%(3,269)
American4.6%(2,703)
Arab3.2%(1,880)
Scottish2.7%(1,607)
French2.3%(1,368)
Polish1.8%(1,094)
Norwegian1.7%(997)
Swedish1.6%(936)
Scotch-Irish1.2%(727)
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data
Iraqi1%(595)
Dutch1%(569)
Syrian0.9%(515)
Russian0.9%(506)
Hungarian0.7%(441)
British0.7%(400)
Portuguese0.6%(328)
Greek0.5%(283)
Lebanese0.5%(269)
Danish0.4%(258)
Czech0.4%(237)
Ukrainian0.3%(173)
Austrian0.3%(164)
Swiss0.2%(147)
Finnish0.2%(123)
West Indian0.2%(119)
Lithuanian0.2%(111)
Palestinian0.2%(110)
Welsh0.2%(106)
Slovene0.2%(104)
Haitian0.2%(95)
Turkish0.1%(84)
Iranian0.1%(71)
Belgian0.1%(56)
Croatian0.1%(54)
Romanian0.1%(54)
Armenian0.1%(49)
Slovak0.1%(32)
Nigerian0.1%(31)
Canadian0.1%(30)
Egyptian0%(24)
Israeli0%(22)
Serbian0%(13)
Brazilian0%(12)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
35.0%
+18.0 ptssince 2000
from 17.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.6%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 88.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.3%
+6.3 ptssince 2000
from 5.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
26.7 min
+54%since 2000
from 17.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
71.6%
−8.7 ptssince 2009
from 80.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
5.9%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
17.3%
+13.3 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.7%
−4.1 ptssince 2011
from 8.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
64.5%
−2.4 ptssince 2011
from 67.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.8%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 70.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
15.2%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
47.2%
+12.3 ptssince 2009
from 34.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.4%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
Female
49.6%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 52.2% in 2009
Foreign born
13.7%
+3.3 ptssince 2009
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
11.0%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.7%
+3.4 ptssince 2012
from 10.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
3.1%
−7.9 ptssince 2013
from 11.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
95.3%
+5.1 ptssince 2017
from 90.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
97.7%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 95.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
90.7%
+6.1 ptssince 2020
from 84.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
80.1%
−4.8 ptssince 2016
from 84.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
9.1%
−0.5 ptssince 2016
from 9.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.1%(7,614)
Married56.4%(13,385)
Widowed2%(473)
Divorced9.5%(2,257)
Women 15+
Never married23.1%(5,547)
Married55.1%(13,232)
Widowed6.9%(1,652)
Divorced15%(3,604)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
3.1%
−7.9 ptssince 2013
from 11.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
63.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 63.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
9.7%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 10.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 16.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
18.1%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 16.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.8%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 3.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
76.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 77.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
34.1%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 32.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)45.4%(2,245)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)31.7%(1,567)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era28.3%(1,399)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.5%(74)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.6%(29)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 4,940 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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SANTEE VS
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SANTEE VS
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SANTEE VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Santee, California?

Santee, California has about 59,332 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Santee, California?

The typical household in Santee, California earns about $113,394 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Santee, California expensive?

In Santee, California, the median home is worth about $727,200, and the typical rent is about $2,250 a month.

How educated are people in Santee, California?

About 35.0% of adults age 25 and over in Santee, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Santee, California?

About 7.9% of people in Santee, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Santee, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Santee, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,430 residents, a change of about 12 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Santee, California: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy