Los Angeles neighborhood guide
Santa Fe Springs
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Rent in Santa Fe Springs
Rent control: Santa Fe Springshas no local rent-stabilization ordinance we track, so California's statewide cap (AB 1482) is the main protection. It limits annual increases on most buildings at least 15 years old, with exemptions. Verify a building's status before signing.
General information, not legal advice.
How Santa Fe Springs scores for you
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Santa Fe Springs is a small city in southeast Los Angeles County, part of the Gateway Cities region about 20 miles from downtown Los Angeles. Home to roughly 19,000 residents, it's a quiet, residential community with a suburban character and modest, single-family-focused neighborhoods.
The city is known for its parks and outdoor spaces, including Friendship Park and the Heritage Springs Sculpture Garden, which give it some recreational identity. It sits in an industrial corridor with significant truck traffic and diesel exposure, and air quality ranks in the top quartile for pollution in California. If you're considering Santa Fe Springs, you should factor in these environmental and traffic conditions as part of daily life here.
Living here
Day-to-day life in Santa Fe Springs is car-dependent. You can walk for some errands, but most shopping, dining, and services require a vehicle. There is no nearby rail transit, and bus service is minimal. Grocery shopping, coffee, and parks are within a short walk in some parts of the city, but the scattered layout means a car is strongly recommended for practical living.
Traffic congestion is common, especially on major corridors, and air quality issues from nearby industrial activity and vehicle emissions are a real consideration, particularly if anyone in your household has respiratory concerns. The city feels quieter and less dense than many neighboring areas, with tree cover and green space limited.
Who it's for
Santa Fe Springs suits renters who need an affordable, quiet residential area and are comfortable driving for most errands. It's a good fit for families looking for a small-city feel and those who work nearby in the Gateway Cities or southeast LA County and want a shorter commute. It's less ideal for people who rely on public transit, prioritize walkability, or are sensitive to air quality.
Environment & livability
Air quality: high diesel PM exposure, top quartile in California.
Linked to elevated respiratory and cardiovascular risk in long-term residents. See the air quality flag for more detail.
Traffic exposure: high traffic corridor exposure.
This area is near major traffic corridors, linked to higher noise levels, diesel PM, and reduced street-level comfort.
Tree cover: very limited tree cover, predominantly concrete.
Low canopy areas tend to run hotter and feel more exposed. Research links tree cover to lower ambient temperatures and improved pedestrian comfort.
Walkability: walkable for some errands, car useful for others.
A mixed walkability area. Good for quick trips on foot, but some destinations will require driving or transit.
Transit: minimal transit access, car strongly recommended.
Very infrequent or no meaningful transit nearby. Car dependency is high in this area.
Environmental data from CalEnviroScreen 4.0 and the EPA Smart Location Database. Informational only, not professional advice for a housing decision.
Who lives in Santa Fe Springs
Population
13,721
Renters
21%
of households rent
Median age
37
Median income
$97k
per household
Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Schools in Santa Fe Springs
9 public schools sit inside this area · 8 with published results. Figures are the share of students who met or exceeded state standards.
| School | Grades | English | Math |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aeolian Elementary Elementary | K-6 | 33% | 21% |
| Jersey Avenue Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 64% | 51% |
| Lakeview Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 54% | 46% |
| Rancho Santa Gertrudes Elementary Elementary | K-6 | 43% | 38% |
| Lake Center Middle Intermediate/Middle/Junior High | 6-8 | 55% | 39% |
| Los Nietos Middle Intermediate/Middle/Junior High | 6-8 | 62% | 39% |
| Richard L. Graves Middle Intermediate/Middle/Junior High | 6-8 | 33% | 21% |
| Ramona Head Start/State Preschool High School | 9 | — | — |
| Santa Fe High High School | 9-12 | 69% | 49% |
Source: California Dept. of Education (directory) and CAASPP Smarter Balanced, 2025. We publish these figures as the state reports them and show the same table for every neighborhood. Saktoo does not rate schools, and school data is never part of a neighborhood match score. Attendance boundaries change — confirm the assigned school with the district before relying on it.
Around Santa Fe Springs
ALDI
Starbucks
Burger King · Carl's Jr. · Chick-fil-A · Circus Sandwich
Friendship Park · Heritage Springs Sculpture Garden · Lake Center Athletic Park · Lakeview Recreation Area
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What the census says about Santa Fe Springs
Facts about the neighborhood from the American Community Survey. These describe Santa Fe Springs; none of them feed the scores above.
- Typical commute
- 34 min
- one way, residents who work
- Settled households
- 84%
- moved in before 2018
- Housing built
- ~1961
- average year of construction
- Above 1 per room
- 9%
- a measure of housing pressure
- Vacant units
- 3%
- of all housing units
- Broadband
- 94%
- of households subscribe
- Detached houses
- 84%
- the rest are attached or apartments
- Typical size
- 3 bed
- median across all homes here
- Homes here
- 7,013
- total housing units
Averaged across 16 areas of about a kilometre each. ACS 5-year estimates.
Santa Fe Springs in the regional index
How Santa Fe Springs places when every neighborhood in LA and Orange County is scored the same way.
- The areas with no affordable escape from pollution
Ranks #59 of 262 neighborhoods on this weighting.
Finding a place in Santa Fe Springs
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Frequently asked questions
Is there public transit in Santa Fe Springs?+
No rail stations serve Santa Fe Springs, and bus service is minimal. The city ranks 315th out of 319 communities in transit access. You will need a car to get around reliably.
How walkable is Santa Fe Springs?+
It's somewhat walkable for some errands, but not highly walkable overall. You can find coffee, grocery, and parks within a short walk in some neighborhoods, but most of daily life requires a car. It ranks 190th out of 319 communities in walkability.
What is the air quality like?+
Air quality is a concern. Santa Fe Springs ranks 294th out of 318 communities in air quality and is in the top quartile for diesel PM exposure in California, due to its position in an industrial corridor with significant truck traffic.
What parks and outdoor space does the city have?+
Santa Fe Springs has several parks within a short walk on average, including Friendship Park, Heritage Springs Sculpture Garden, Lake Center Athletic Park, and Santa Fe Springs Playground, giving residents some recreational options.
Is Santa Fe Springs walkable?+
Santa Fe Springs ranks #164 of 346 LA neighborhoods for walkability. In practice, walkable for some errands, car useful for others.
What is the average rent in Santa Fe Springs?+
Current residents of Santa Fe Springs pay a median rent of about $2,053 per month (Census ACS). Asking rents for new leases typically run higher.
How is the air quality in Santa Fe Springs?+
Santa Fe Springs has high diesel PM exposure, top quartile in California, based on CalEnviroScreen 4.0 diesel particulate data (percentile 83 of 100, lower is cleaner).
Which LA neighborhoods are similar to Santa Fe Springs?+
Based on walkability, rent levels, amenities, and environment, the most similar neighborhoods to Santa Fe Springs are Avocado Heights, West Athens, West Whittier-Los Nietos and Norwalk.