Living in Brea, CA
Suburb in California
Brea is a suburb in California, home to about 47,000 people, with 9.4 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Brea a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Big job market: about 9.4 million people live within 31 mi
- Highly educated: 50% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 9 research universities are within 31 mi
- Strong healthcare: 28 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Easy flying: SNA is 17 mi away
👎 Cons
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $1.02M, and rent is $4,390 a month
- Few dog parks: 10 within 9 mi
- Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.73% property tax
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Brea ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Brea: common questions
What is the cost of living in Brea?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $1.02M, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $4,390 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 114, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Brea?
California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.73% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Brea safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.4× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Brea?
Brea is warm all year: winter days average around 71°F and summer days around 86°F.
Does Brea get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.82 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Brea?
The nearest major airport is SNA, about 17 mi away.
How Brea scores
Each bar compares Brea with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Brea right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.