The Town FilesSanta Clarita, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 228,673 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $784,700
- Household income
- $123,062
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 38.4
Santa Clarita is a city of 228,673 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $784,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 80% of California towns, more of a college town than 80% of California towns, better for families than 79% of California towns.
How Santa Clarita ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Santa Clarita is worth $784,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $123,062, which is more affordable than 50% of California towns. Median rent is $2,544 a month. 71.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Santa Clarita | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $784,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,544 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $123,062 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 71.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Santa Clarita
| People | Santa Clarita | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.2% | — |
| Work from home | 18.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 34.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Santa Clarita
July highs average 94.2°F and January lows 46.6°F. About 16.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 87 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Santa Clarita since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, unrated, struck on December 20, 1952 about 2.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 20, 1952.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on March 7, 2024.
Severe weather in Los Angeles County since 1996
Los Angeles County has been included in 88 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5605: Canyon Fire |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | DR-4856: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5550: Eaton Fire |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5551: Hurst Fire |
| January 7, 2025 | Fire | FM-5549: Palisades Fire |
Jobs and pay in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County had 4,525,711 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $83,554 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Santa Clarita itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Santa Clarita
36 public schools with 25,049 students, about 24.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saugus High | 9-12 | 2,295 | 24.2 |
| Golden Valley High | 9-12 | 1,993 | 21.9 |
| Canyon High | 9-12 | 1,966 | 24.0 |
| Arroyo Seco Junior High | 7-8 | 1,240 | 24.3 |
| Rio Norte Junior High | 7-8 | 1,110 | 23.6 |
| La Mesa Junior High | 7-8 | 1,023 | 18.9 |
| Sierra Vista Junior High | 7-8 | 974 | 19.5 |
| Mountainview Elementary | K-6 | 914 | 25.4 |
| Fair Oaks Ranch Community | K-6 | 861 | 27.8 |
| Plum Canyon Elementary | K-6 | 849 | 27.4 |
| Bridgeport Elementary | K-6 | 833 | 26.0 |
| Emblem Academy | K-6 | 777 | 25.9 |
Towns near Santa Clarita
- Stevenson Ranch, CA5.2 mi · 20,178 people · home $1,085,500
- Castaic, CA8.6 mi · 18,937 people · home $792,000
- San Fernando, CA9.6 mi · 23,946 people · home $674,700
- Agua Dulce, CA11.8 mi · 3,451 people · home $933,400
- Piru, CA17.4 mi · 2,587 people · home $624,300
- Simi Valley, CA17.5 mi · 126,356 people · home $823,800
- Burbank, CA18.5 mi · 107,337 people · home $1,089,100
- Acton, CA18.9 mi · 7,431 people · home $733,400
Santa Clarita questions
Is Santa Clarita, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Santa Clarita scores better for retirees than 37% of California towns and quieter than 29%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Santa Clarita?
The median owner-occupied home in Santa Clarita is valued at $784,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $123,062, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $2,544 a month.
What is the weather like in Santa Clarita?
July highs average 94.2°F and January lows 46.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Santa Clarita get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Santa Clarita since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events). The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)