© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Orange.
About
Life in Orange
Living in Orange means enjoying a uniquely preserved slice of Southern California history that most of the region demolished decades ago—the Old Towne District's tree-lined streets still feature hundreds of early 1900s Craftsman bungalows and Victorian homes, giving the city genuine character that newer Orange County developments simply don't have. You're looking at a median household income around $117,000 and a median home price near $900,000, which reflects solid middle-to-upper-middle-class stability, though it's still pricey if you're coming from elsewhere; rents average $2,327 a month for those not ready to buy. The job market is steady with a 3.9% unemployment rate, and you'll find yourself part of a genuinely diverse community—roughly 41% Latino, 13% Asian, and 46% White—with a median age of 37, so it skews established families and professionals rather than transient twentysomethings.
Orange at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.5%
Foreign-Born
21.9%
Broadband Internet
95.2%
of households
Population Growth
-1.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics21.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Orange: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Orange, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (40.1%), and 25.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.4%
of residents
65 and Older
15.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
20.1%
of households
Married Couples
51.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.91
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 14% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Orange
In Orange, rent runs 14% above the CA average, and home values are 29% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
113.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,215
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
56.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1973
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,120,386 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Orange and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Orange is 1.4 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Orange Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area
Commute25.8 min avg
How Orange residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Orange, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 64% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA)
Medium hub5.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 34 mi
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Major hub36.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 40% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Orange runs 40% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
196.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
938.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Orange Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Orange County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Orange County, which includes Orange, the most common type is high wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Heavy Rain | $40,000 |
| 2024 | 25 | High Wind | $30,000 |
| 2023 | 37 | High Wind | $50,000 |
| 2022 | 42 | High Wind | $60.0M |
| 2021 | 40 | High Wind | $952,000 |
| 2020 | 30 | High Wind | $105,000 |
| 2019 | 33 | High Surf | $125,500 |
| 2018 | 23 | High Surf | $20,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
153 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Orange County, county-wide
Orange is about 4% of Orange County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality53 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Orange County, which includes Orange, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
53
Good Days
138
per year
Moderate Days
214
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Orange County, county-wide
Orange is about 4% of Orange County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate86°F summers, 49°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Orange has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and warm winters (avg low 49°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
76°/55°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
83°/59°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
71°/49°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
13.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
47
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
35
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71°F | 49°F | 3.16" |
| Feb | 71°F | 49°F | 3.05" |
| Mar | 74°F | 51°F | 1.80" |
| Apr | 77°F | 54°F | 0.70" |
| May | 78°F | 58°F | 0.41" |
| Jun | 82°F | 62°F | 0.11" |
| Jul | 87°F | 66°F | 0.11" |
| Aug | 89°F | 66°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 88°F | 64°F | 0.15" |
| Oct | 83°F | 59°F | 0.62" |
| Nov | 77°F | 53°F | 1.01" |
| Dec | 71°F | 48°F | 2.39" |
Healthcare5 hospitals, avg 3.3/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Orange
Orange has 5 hospitals, averaging 3.3 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
5
within city limits
Uninsured
6.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.3 / 5
Providence St. Joseph Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Uci Health-orange
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Uci Health-Orange · 101 City Drive South
- Outpatient center: 63 Manchester Pavilion UCI · 333 City Blvd W Ste 2100, Orange
Chapman Global Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals
Children's Hospital of Orange County
Childrens
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Orange County Global Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.5 mi away · Santa Ana
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Orange County - Anaheim
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.7 mi away · Anaheim
Foothill Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · 5.1 mi away · Tustin
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education22.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Orange
Orange's student/teacher ratio is 22.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 39.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
29
within city limits
Private Schools
13
within city limits
College Degree Rate
39.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Orange
Public · 2-year · 10,579 students · in-state tuition $1,160 · 26% graduate · median earnings $52,421 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,478 students · in-state tuition $67,894 · 82% graduate · median earnings $80,694 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
California State University-Fullerton
6.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 38,546 students · in-state tuition $7,952 · 80% graduate · median earnings $69,015 (10 yrs after entry)
University of California-Irvine
10.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 30,197 students · in-state tuition $16,235 · 88% graduate · median earnings $83,432 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 17,121 students · in-state tuition $1,150 · 28% graduate · median earnings $49,216 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 10,286 students · in-state tuition $1,156 · 33% graduate · median earnings $53,719 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 9,034 students · in-state tuition $1,202 · 29% graduate · median earnings $50,592 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 7,393 students · in-state tuition $1,186 · 18% graduate · median earnings $51,338 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, 35 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Orange
Orange has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (35 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
35 mi awaySanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
58 mi awayCabrillo National Monument
National Monument
85 mi awayPublic Libraries in Orange
Orange Public Library & History Center
407 E Chapman Ave, Orange
El Modena Branch Library
380 S. Hewes St., Orange
Taft Branch Library
740 E. Taft Ave., Orange
Cities Near Orange
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Orange?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Orange FAQ
Is Orange, California affordable?⌄
Orange's median rent is $2,327/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $117,113/year. Median home value is $945,800.
Is Orange, California safe?⌄
Orange's violent crime rate was 196 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 939 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Orange, California?⌄
Orange has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Orange, California?⌄
The cost of living in Orange is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,327/month and median household income is $117,113/year. The median home value is $945,800. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Orange, California?⌄
The average commute in Orange is 26 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from