
Santa Ana’s Downtown district is anchored by a 2024 city population of 316,184, a daytime population of 150,000+, and a median household income that grew 4.92% to $88,354 in 2023. The broader Orange County adds 3.18M people with a $116,845 median HHI. The local economy is supported by 156,000 employed residents, with top sectors including manufacturing (20,895) and healthcare (17,821). Orange County’s retail market shows institutional fundamentals with a 4.0% vacancy in Q2 2025 and asking rents at $39.08 PSF, up 2.9% YoY. Investment velocity is robust, with YTD sales volume of $535M representing a 124% increase from H1 2024. Long-term stability is reinforced by limited new supply, with only 217,000 SF under construction county-wide. The immediate submarket benefits from a low 4.5% unemployment rate in Santa Ana (Aug 2025) and a 4.8% YoY increase in the LA-area CPI for food away from home, signaling strong dining demand. The Central OC submarket recorded 59,443 SF of positive net absorption in Q1 2025, driving asking rents up 7.1% YoY. The economic base is solidified by major corporate HQs like First American Financial and Behr Paint.

ray@millmanteam.com
ray@millmanteam.com