Population 3,165,820 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Orange County
Household size in Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.12 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.19 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.17 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.03 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Orange County are large by national standards, averaging 3.03 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Household size has edged down from 3.12 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.0 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.4 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.5 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.5 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Orange County are younger than 40.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.0, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Orange County (10.2%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.2 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Orange County
Renters in Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.2% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.8% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.6% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 43.6% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than four in ten households in Orange County rent their homes (43.6%), above the national share of 34.8%. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in the Los Angeles area overall (51.6%). About a third of owners (34.3%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 4.5 points since 2006–10, 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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Orange County: 6.6% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Los Angeles area. Orange County has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of California counties.
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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Orange County was built around 1979, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the Los Angeles area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1969. The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,566 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,623 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,092 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,644 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,077 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Orange County costs $2,644 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,077 a month from 2006–10, a 69% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 34.7% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the center.
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 Orange County
Bachelor's degrees in Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.1% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.5% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.6% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 44.9% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Orange County (44.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.8 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the center.
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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.9% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.7% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.1% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.2% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Orange County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Still, the rate is higher than in the wider Los Angeles area (82.1%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.3 points, mirroring the country.
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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Orange County is close to the national rate: 5.3% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the Los Angeles area overall (6.7%). Unemployment has fallen 2.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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).
Orange County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County | 3.03 | 40.5 | 10.2% | 43.6% | 6.6% | 1979 | $2,644 | 44.9% | 87.2% | 5.3% |
| Riverside County | 3.34 | 38.1 | 13.6% | 30.9% | 8.4% | 1990 | $2,163 | 24.9% | 82.7% | 6.5% |
| Gila County | 2.38 | 50.2 | 11.2% | 22.5% | 21.3% | 1983 | $1,086 | 18.5% | 90.2% | 6.6% |
| Cochran County | 2.58 | 36.4 | 13.8% | 35.4% | 27.8% | 1971 | $715 | 8.7% | 66.6% | 4.8% |
| Crosby County | 2.58 | 39.1 | 14.6% | 31.2% | 25.4% | 1964 | $671 | 15.9% | 80.9% | 7.3% |
| King County | 1.90 | 49.4 | 17.1% | 40.5% | 41.3% | 1968 | $1,302 | 38.9% | 88.9% | 0.0% |
| Archer County | 2.54 | 44.7 | 8.7% | 15.5% | 11.4% | 1980 | $1,245 | 25.4% | 92.2% | 3.3% |
| Clay County | 2.46 | 46.5 | 9.0% | 16.0% | 16.9% | 1980 | $813 | 22.0% | 94.1% | 2.1% |
| Montague County | 2.46 | 43.1 | 7.6% | 20.1% | 15.3% | 1981 | $1,032 | 18.5% | 86.9% | 8.1% |
| Cooke County | 2.60 | 41.1 | 11.2% | 28.2% | 8.7% | 1985 | $1,136 | 22.5% | 87.1% | 4.4% |
| Grayson County | 2.61 | 40.1 | 11.6% | 33.2% | 10.8% | 1984 | $1,343 | 24.2% | 89.5% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Maricopa County, AZ · Los Angeles County, CA · San Diego County, CA · Harris County, TX · Nassau County, NY · Dane County, WI · Dallas County, TX · Kern County, CA · Denver County, CO · Miami-Dade County, FL
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 Orange County. 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.
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