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Living in Orange, CA

Suburb in California

Orange is a suburb in California, home to about 139,000 people, with 9.0 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Orange a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 23 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Big job market: about 9.0 million people live within 31 mi
  • Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.3× the US rate (FBI 2019)

👎 Cons

  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $1.04M, and rent is $4,390 a month
  • Few dog parks: 13 within 9 mi
  • Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.66% property tax

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Orange ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
139,000
9.0 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
69°F / 82°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$1.04M
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$4,390/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
114
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,279
State income tax per resident · 0.66% property tax
Safety
0.3× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
7 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
23
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
40%
8 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SNA
7 mi away

Living in Orange: common questions

What is the cost of living in Orange?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $1.04M, 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 Orange?

California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.66% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Orange safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.3× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Orange?

Orange is warm all year: winter days average around 69°F and summer days around 82°F.

Does Orange 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 1.22 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Orange?

The nearest major airport is SNA, about 7 mi away.

How Orange scores

Each bar compares Orange 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).

🏙️City size Major metro Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nightlife Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Warm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Poor
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Excellent
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Excellent
🧸Kids & family Good
🐕Dog-friendly Poor
⛰️Outdoors Average
🎭Culture Excellent
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Excellent
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

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These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.

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Is Orange right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.