Population 47,892 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Brea: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Brea
Household size in Brea
| Period | Brea | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.89 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.82 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.13 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Brea holds 2.86 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Still, the typical household here is smaller than in the Los Angeles area as a whole, where it has 3.01 people. Household size has climbed from 2.73 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Brea
| Period | Brea | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.6 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.6 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.6 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.7 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
At 40.7, the median age in Brea is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 39.6 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Brea
| Period | Brea | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Brea: 6.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Brea has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of California cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Brea
Renters in Brea
| Period | Brea | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.4% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.0% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.8% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.8% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Brea than nationally: 39.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in the wider Los Angeles area (51.6%). Among homeowners, 30.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 6.4 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Brea
| Period | Brea | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.5% of homes in Brea are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. The Los Angeles area as a whole looks much the same.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Brea
| Period | Brea | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Brea was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the wider Los Angeles area, where the median home dates to 1969. The median year built has moved up from 1978 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the southwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Brea
| Period | Brea | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,463 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,697 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,115 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,610 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,147 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Brea costs $2,610 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,147 a month from 2006–10, a 78% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.2% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Brea
Bachelor's degrees in Brea
| Period | Brea | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.8% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.6% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.9% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 52.0% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.2 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Brea: 52.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 10.2 points, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Brea
| Period | Brea | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.9% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.4% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.0% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.8% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over nine in ten adults in Brea have finished high school (92.8%), above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged up 0.9 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Brea
| Period | Brea | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Brea runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Brea compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brea | 2.86 | 40.7 | 6.6% | 39.8% | 5.5% | 1981 | $2,610 | 52.0% | 92.8% | 4.6% |
| Placentia | 3.13 | 39.2 | 9.6% | 38.6% | 5.9% | 1978 | $2,681 | 43.0% | 87.7% | 5.1% |
| La Habra | 3.12 | 39.1 | 12.3% | 40.5% | 4.9% | 1967 | $2,182 | 32.7% | 85.7% | 7.3% |
| Fullerton | 2.94 | 38.5 | 10.7% | 48.0% | 6.4% | 1970 | $2,409 | 42.6% | 87.0% | 6.4% |
| Rowland Heights | 3.04 | 47.1 | 8.3% | 31.8% | 4.7% | 1975 | $2,491 | 36.1% | 85.1% | 5.8% |
| La Habra Heights | 2.77 | 49.4 | 2.7% | 9.0% | 6.9% | 1968 | $2,447 | 51.3% | 95.3% | 3.2% |
| Yorba Linda | 2.93 | 45.7 | 6.3% | 17.2% | 5.0% | 1984 | $2,967 | 55.9% | 96.5% | 4.8% |
| Anaheim | 3.33 | 37.5 | 13.8% | 53.2% | 6.2% | 1973 | $2,377 | 30.2% | 77.9% | 5.7% |
| South San Jose Hills | 4.11 | 36.1 | 18.0% | 40.7% | 5.6% | 1968 | $1,933 | 13.0% | 67.7% | 6.7% |
| Diamond Bar | 2.99 | 46.0 | 8.7% | 22.7% | 5.7% | 1978 | $2,536 | 52.6% | 92.2% | 5.0% |
| Hacienda Heights | 3.32 | 44.3 | 8.9% | 24.3% | 5.3% | 1967 | $2,559 | 34.8% | 86.6% | 5.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Jeffersonville, IN · Milton, FL · Frankfort, KY · Lompoc, CA · Grand Blanc, MI · Lancaster, SC · Alvin, TX · Los Banos, CA · Madison, MS · Middletown, CT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Brea. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.