Orange County, CA

County

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2023 Population

3.16M

0.352% 1-year decline

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Adam Schiff

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

39.1

1.03% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

9.49%

2.04% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$113,702

3.97% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$915,500

6.1% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

1.6M

0.193% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Orange County, CA had a population of 3.16M people with a median age of 39.1 and a median household income of $113,702. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Orange County, CA declined from 3.18M to 3.16M, a −0.352% decrease and its median household income grew from $109,361 to $113,702, a 3.97% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Orange County, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (37.7%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (21.7%), Other (Hispanic) (13.6%), Two+ (Hispanic) (10.8%), and White (Hispanic) (8.76%).

None of the households in Orange County, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

87.5% of the residents in Orange County, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Orange County, CA are University of California-Irvine (11,650 degrees awarded in 2022), California State University-Fullerton (11,468 degrees), and Golden West College (115126) (7,718 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Orange County, CA was $915,500, and the homeownership rate was 56.4%.

Most people in Orange County, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 27 minutes. The average car ownership in Orange County, CA was 2 cars per household.

Orange County, CA borders Los Angeles County, CA, Riverside County, CA, San Bernardino County, CA, and San Diego County, CA.

Photo by Don Graham

United States California Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

Population & Diversity

Orange County, CA is home to a population of 3.16M people, from which 87.5% are citizens. As of 2023, 29.9% of Orange County, CA residents were born outside of the country (945k people).

In 2023, there were 1.73 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.19M people) in Orange County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 688k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 431k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

87.5%

2023 Citizenship

87.6%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 87.5% of Orange County, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Orange County, CA was 87.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Orange County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Orange County, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.19M ± 2.1k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
688k ± 3.47k
Other (Hispanic)
431k ± 7.98k

34.1%

Hispanic Population

1.08M people

34.1% of the people in Orange County, CA are hispanic (1.08M people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Orange County, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,899,021 ± 46,015 people
Philippines
824,230 ± 22,055 people
China
685,370 ± 20,148 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,899,021 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,230 and China with 685,370.

Foreign-Born Population

29.9%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

945k people

29.5%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

936k people

As of 2023, 29.9% of Orange County, CA residents (945k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Orange County, CA was 29.5%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Orange County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
30,622 ± 1,182
Gulf War (2001-)
19,335 ± 1,107
Gulf War (1990s)
11,188 ± 899

Orange County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.58 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Orange County, CA employs 1.6M people. The largest industries in Orange County, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (195,811 people), Manufacturing (187,791 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (164,824 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($117,500), Utilities ($110,440), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($100,673).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $75,777. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

1.6M

2023 Value

± 10,373

−0.193%

1 Year decline

± 0.905%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Orange County, CA declined at a rate of −0.193%, from 1.6M employees to 1.6M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Orange County, CA, are Management Occupations (210,755 people), Sales & Related Occupations (169,246 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (163,552 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Orange County, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

1.6M

2023 Value

± 10,373

−0.193%

1 Year decline

± 0.905%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Orange County, CA declined at a rate of −0.193%, from 1.6M employees to 1.6M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Orange County, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (195,811 people), Manufacturing (187,791 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (164,824 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Orange County, CA, though some of these residents may live in Orange County, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$62,831

Median earning men ± $1,122

$46,707

Median earning women ± $479

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($106,813), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($103,329), and Information ($89,031).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($71,637), Construction ($66,273), and Information ($64,074).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

13,773
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
8,019
Health Care and Social Assistance
6,198
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$16.1M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$12.3M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$12.1M
Finance and Insurance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Orange County, CA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 53.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (44.4%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.14%).

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (53.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (44.4%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.14%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Orange County, CA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Adam Schiff

Senator from California

Assumed office on December 8, 2024
Elected to the seat to succeed Laphonza Butler, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Orange County, CA awarded 88,682 degrees. The student population of Orange County, CA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 117,016 male students and 142,271 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Orange County, CA are Hispanic or Latino (29,805 and 35.7%), followed by White (23,326 and 27.9%), Asian (19,877 and 23.8%), and Two or More Races (3,994 and 4.78%).

The largest universities in Orange County, CA by number of degrees awarded are University of California-Irvine (11,650 and 13.1%), California State University-Fullerton (11,468 and 12.9%), and Golden West College (115126) (7,718 and 8.7%).

The most popular majors in Orange County, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (18,761 and 21.2%), General Business Administration & Management (7,449 and 8.4%), and General Psychology (3,146 and 3.55%).

The median tuition costs in Orange County, CA are $33,859 for private four year colleges, and $5,742 and $12,000 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Orange County, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 38.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 20.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 259,287 (45.1% men and 54.9% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 259,287 students enrolled in Orange County, CA, 45.1% men and 54.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 98,206 records, of which 58.2% were women and 41.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
6,360 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
2,516 degrees awarded
Humanistic Studies
1,930 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Orange County, CA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 6,360 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Orange County, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of California-Irvine
11,650 degrees awarded
California State University-Fullerton
11,468 degrees awarded
Golden West College (115126)
7,718 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of California-Irvine with 11,650 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 36,179 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Orange County, CA, which is 0.689 times less than the 52,503 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 29,805 degrees mean that there were 1.28 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 23,326 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 2-year ($41,000) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($1,409) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,456) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2022, 2.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.26% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Some college (6.9M), High School or Equivalent (6.8M), and Bachelors Degree (6.36M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Orange County, CA was $915,500 in 2023, which is 3.02 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $862,900 to $915,500, a 6.1% increase. The homeownership rate in Orange County, CA is 56.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Orange County, CA have an average commute time of 27 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Orange County, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Orange County, CA is $113,702. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Orange County, CA was Census Tract 626.42 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 630.09 and Census Tract 993.08, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

In 2023, 26.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Orange County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.43%.

Housing

Property

$915,500

Median Property Value 2023

±$3,753

$606,605

Median Property Taxes

±$5,588

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Orange County, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Orange County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

56.4%

Homeownership

2023

70.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 56.4% of the housing units in Orange County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 56.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Orange County, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 626.42
Census Tract 630.09
Census Tract 993.08

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Orange County, CA was Census Tract 626.42 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 630.09 and Census Tract 993.08, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Orange County, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$113,702

Median Household Income

± $986

1.07M

Number of Households

± 8,567

In 2023, the median household income of the 1.07M households in Orange County, CA grew to $113,702 from the previous year's value of $109,361.

The following chart displays the households in Orange County, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Orange County, CA is from California.

0.498

2022 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

In 2022, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.107% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (69.4%)
Worked At Home (16.6%)
Carpooled (8.97%)

In 2023, 69.4% of workers in Orange County, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (16.6%) and those who carpooled to work (8.97%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

27 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Orange County, CA have a longer commute time (27 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.48% of the workforce in Orange County, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Orange County, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Orange County, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Orange County, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 26.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Orange County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.43%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

9.49% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Orange County, CA (296k out of 3.13M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Orange County, CA is Hispanic, followed by White and Asian.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 11% of the children was living in poverty in Orange County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 7%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

93.2% of the population of Orange County, CA has health coverage, with 49.4% on employee plans, 18.5% on Medicaid, 11.2% on Medicare, 13.5% on non-group plans, and 0.565% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Orange County, CA see 995 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.4% decrease from the previous year (999 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 827 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 283 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

995 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Orange County, CA

Primary care physicians in Orange County, CA see an average of 995 patients per year. This represents a 0.4% decrease from the previous year (999 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Orange County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.8% under 18 years, 21.8% between 18 and 34 years, 39.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.8%

Uninsured

49.4%

Employer Coverage

18.5%

Medicaid

11.2%

Medicare

13.5%

Non-Group

0.565%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Orange County, CA declined by 1.5% from 6.9% to 6.8%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Orange County, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 26.5 in Orange County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Orange County, CA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 23% in Orange County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Orange County, CA.