County0
- Public SchoolsA
- Crime & SafetyC+
- HousingD
- NightlifeA+
- Good for FamiliesA
- DiversityA+
- JobsB-
- WeatherA+
- Cost of LivingD-
- Health & FitnessA+
- Outdoor ActivitiesA+
- CommuteB-
Real Estate
Median Home Value
$620,500
National
$184,700Median Rent
$1,693
National
$949Sponsored Mortgage Options for Orange County
Get Rates
- Get pre-approved for a home loan quickly.
- Easy online application with $0 in lender fees.
Niche may be compensated by the third party lenders and others who place ads on the website. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. Fees that Niche receives for ads do not affect the terms you may be offered by the lender you choose. There are many additional borrowing options available.
Orange County Rankings
Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.
Crime & Safety
Crime & Safety
C+
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Residents
Working in Orange County
Jobs
B-
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$81,851
National
$55,322Places to Work in Orange County
Colleges in Orange County
- Best
- A-Z
- A+
Soka University of America
- 4 Year
- Aliso Viejo, CA
- 199 reviews
- A
Chapman University
- 4 Year
- Orange, CA
- 2,091 reviews
- A
Modern Technology School
- 2 Year
- Fountain Valley, CA
- 1 review
- A
University of California - Irvine
- 4 Year
- Irvine, CA
- 3,706 reviews
- B+
California State University - Fullerton
- 4 Year
- Fullerton, CA
- 4,658 reviews
- 1 of 12
Orange County Reviews
152 reviews
All Categories
I appreciate the diversity of ideas and people. We have competitive schools, relatively low crime, and fun--Disneyland! Regarding the political spectrum, the traditionally conservative county has recently shifted left, as evidenced by the 2018 midterms. However, it is still a wealthy community and I think people are very materialistic, which may not be healthy. The cost of living is tremendously high (the cost of my house can buy a house 3x as large in Texas). Our problems with homelessness and other types of people in need are often overlooked by the vast amounts of wealth held by our residents.
I have lived in Orange county my entire life and have no complaints. I was able to get a quality education in the OC from preschool through college. Their public elementary, middle, high, and college level schools are amazing. Teachers are very open to all students and opinions. When people think of the OC they think arrogance or stuck up or not diverse but it is actually quite the opposite. There are areas such as little Arabia or Diamond Jamboree where you can experience specific cultures and their food. Schools have white, asian, black, latino, etc. Every ethnicity you can imagine is in the OC. It is extremely safe and family friendly. There isn't TOO much of a nightlife but that is okay because this is a place to raise a family. The beach is right in OC and the mountains are fairly close. Overall a great place to live!
I like living in Orange County because it's safe and easy to get around. I can walk around and feel relatively safe, free from danger. It's not like other cities in the country, like Compton, which is very unsafe and has a very high crime rate. There is a variety of eateries from different cultures, which makes for a very diverse community. There are also a variety of different races and cultures, which makes more for an intellectual and diverse community as well. My experiences here have shaped me to the person I am today. There are so many ways to experience different lifestyles. We have beaches, great schools, great colleges, amusement parks, and much more. It's almost impossible to get bored and there are so many attractions that you'll always have something to do.