Get to know Santa Ana, CA

Santa Ana is the county seat of Orange County in the Greater Los Angeles area.  The Santa Ana Valley was discovered in 1769.  Jose Antonio Yorba was granted the land in 1810 and named it Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana.  Following the cessation of California to the United States, settlers came to the area.  In 1869 William H. Spurgeon of Kentucky claimed some of the land.  The city was incorporated in 1886.  In 1877 a branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad built a line from Los Angeles to the city, followed by a California Central Railway line in 1887.  The original Glenn L. Martin aviation company was founded in Santa Ana in 1912.  After merging with the Wright Company, Martin would create a second company in Ohio that would later merge and become Lockheed Martin.  The city was home to the Santa Ana Army Air Base during World War II, which helped the city grow.  Since the 1980’s the city has focused efforts on revitalizing the downtown area.  The city is home to a number of corporate headquarters, including Behr Paint and CoreLogic among others.  The top employers in Santa Ana are the County of Orange and Ingram Micro.  Popular attractions include the Bowers Museum and the Santora Building.  Famous residents have included Michelle Pfeiffer and Matt Leinart, both of whom were born in Santa Ana.

Quick Facts

Population: 335,423

Median Household Income: $54,392

Median Property Value: $437,500