Orange County, CA

County

Add Comparison

2020 Population

3.17M

0.0726% 1-year growth

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

2020 Median Age

38.3

0.525% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

10.1%

6.65% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$94,441

4.66% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$703,800

3.61% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

1.59M

0.0456% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Orange County, CA had a population of 3.17M people with a median age of 38.3 and a median household income of $94,441. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Orange County, CA grew from 3.17M to 3.17M, a 0.0726% increase and its median household income grew from $90,234 to $94,441, a 4.66% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Orange County, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (39.8%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (20.9%), White (Hispanic) (17.8%), Other (Hispanic) (11.7%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (3.57%).

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.

87.2% of the residents in Orange County, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Orange County, CA are University of California-Irvine (11,637 degrees awarded in 2020), California State University-Fullerton (11,487 degrees), and Saddleback College (6,766 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Orange County, CA was $703,800, and the homeownership rate was 57.2%. Most people in Orange County, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 28 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

Diversity

Orange County, CA is home to a population of 3.17M people, from which 87.2% are citizens. As of 2020, 29.6% of Orange County, CA residents were born outside of the country (939k people).

In 2020, there were 1.91 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.26M people) in Orange County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 661k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 564k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Orange County, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.26M ± 1.86k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
661k ± 3k
White (Hispanic)
564k ± 8.68k

33.8%

Hispanic Population

1.07M people

33.8% of the people in Orange County, CA are hispanic (1.07M people).

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

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

29.6%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

939k people

30.1%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

954k people

As of 2020, 29.6% of Orange County, CA residents (939k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Orange County, CA was 30.1%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.1

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 0.2

In 2020, the median age of all people in Orange County, CA was 38.3. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 31, were generally younger than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 49. But people in Orange County, CA are getting getting older. In 2019, the average age of all Orange County, CA residents was 38.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
4,008,868 ± 46,586 people
Philippines
829,356 ± 22,122 people
China
683,718 ± 20,124 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 4,008,868 California residents, followed by Philippines with 829,356 and China with 683,718.

Citizenship

87.2%

2020 Citizenship

86.3%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 87.2% of Orange County, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Orange County, CA was 86.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
35,791 ± 1,304
Gulf War (2001-)
18,019 ± 1,247
Gulf War (1990s)
11,462 ± 975

Orange County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.99 times greater than any other conflict.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for California. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in California, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

View Full Dashboard

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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.

View Full Dashboard

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in California. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

View Full Dashboard

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of California across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

View Full Dashboard

Economy

Median household income in Orange County, CA is $94,441. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Orange County, CA was Census Tract 320.44 with a value of $223,105, followed by Census Tract 320.43 and Census Tract 320.46, with respective values of $213,516 and $212,500.

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $64,427. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

The economy of Orange County, CA employs 1.59M people. The largest industries in Orange County, CA are Manufacturing (190,034 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (183,544 people), and Retail Trade (165,206 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($96,250), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($90,065), and Finance & Insurance ($77,305).

Wages

Median Household Income

$94,441

2020 value

± $866

4.66%

1 Year Growth

± 1.05%

Households in Orange County, CA have a median annual income of $94,441, which is more than the median annual income of $64,994 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $90,234 in 2019, which represents a 4.66% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Orange County, CA compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Sex in Common Jobs

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

$81,373

Average Male Salary in California

± $777

$64,427

Average Female Salary in California

± $650

In 2020, full-time male employees in California made 1.26 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the sex-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in California by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in California

Asian
$76,893 ± $1,222
White
$68,605 ± $653
Two or More Races
$54,009 ± $1,392

In 2020 the highest paid race/ethnicity of California workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.12 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in California.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in California by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

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

0.498

2020 Wage GINI in California

0.499

2019 Wage GINI in California

In 2020, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.321% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 320.44
Census Tract 320.43
Census Tract 320.46

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Orange County, CA was Census Tract 320.44 with a value of $223,105, followed by Census Tract 320.43 and Census Tract 320.46, with respective values of $213,516 and $212,500.

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

Poverty by Age and Sex

Females 18 - 24

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

10.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Orange County, CA (318k out of 3.13M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 18 - 24.

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.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
157,480 ± 3,239
Hispanic
142,748 ± 3,245
Asian
72,742 ± 2,344

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

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

1.59M

2020 Value

± 10,184

0.0456%

1 Year growth

± 0.865%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Orange County, CA grew at a rate of 0.0456%, from 1.59M employees to 1.59M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Orange County, CA, are Management Occupations (202,211 people), Sales & Related Occupations (185,430 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (179,457 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Orange County, CA.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Orange County, CA, by number of employees, are Management Occupations (202,211 people), Sales & Related Occupations (185,430 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (179,457 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Orange County, CA has an unusually high number of residents working as Architecture & Engineering Occupations (1.46 times higher than expected), Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, & Media Occupations (1.32 times), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (1.27 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Orange County, CA, by median earnings, are Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors ($104,381), Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($98,142), and Legal Occupations ($96,714).

Industries

Employment by Industries

1.59M

2020 Value

± 10,184

0.0456%

1 Year growth

± 0.865%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Orange County, CA grew at a rate of 0.0456%, from 1.59M employees to 1.59M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Orange County, CA, are Manufacturing (190,034 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (183,544 people), and Retail Trade (165,206 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.

Most Common

The most common industries in Orange County, CA, by number of employees, are Manufacturing (190,034 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (183,544 people), and Retail Trade (165,206 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Orange County, CA has an unusually high number of Real Estate & Rental & Leasing (1.55 times higher than expected), Wholesale Trade (1.36 times), and Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation (1.35 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Orange County, CA, by median earnings, are Utilities ($96,250), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($90,065), and Finance & Insurance ($77,305).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $407B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($158B) and Mixed freight ($149B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound California products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.

$2.26T

2020 Value in California

$4.61T

Projected 2050 Value in California

104% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $2.26T. This is expected to increase 104% to $4.61T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound California trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Most Common Trade Partners

Texas
$83.5B
Arizona
$44.4B
Ohio
$43.3B

In 2020, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $83.5B, followed by Arizona with $44.4B and Ohio and $43.3B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that California shares with each state (excluding itself).

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%). The most partisan county was San Francisco County, CA with 85.3% of the vote going to Joseph R Biden Jr. running for the Democratic Party.

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla 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 53 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

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.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of California.

Joseph R Biden Jr.

Popular Vote for Orange County, CA

53.5% for the Democratic Party

Most Partisan Counties in California

San Francisco County, CA
85.3% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)
Marin County, CA
82.3% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)
Alameda County, CA
80.2% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)

In the 2020 presidential election, the most partisan county in California was San Francisco County, CA with 85.3% of the vote going to Joseph R Biden Jr. running for the Democratic Party.

The following map shows the counties in California colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from California

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

Dianne Feinstein

Senator from California

Assumed office on November 10, 1992
Elected to the seat to succeed John Seymour (California politician)|John Seymour, who had been appointed to the seat after Pete Wilson was elected Governor of 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.

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla 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 Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 53 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 2020, universities in Orange County, CA awarded 85,374 degrees. The student population of Orange County, CA is skewed towards women, with 115,307 male students and 150,129 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Orange County, CA are Hispanic or Latino (28,429 and 35.5%), followed by White (23,731 and 29.7%), Asian (18,116 and 22.7%), and Two or More Races (3,643 and 4.56%).

The largest universities in Orange County, CA by number of degrees awarded are University of California-Irvine (11,637 and 13.6%), California State University-Fullerton (11,487 and 13.5%), and Saddleback College (6,766 and 7.93%).

The most popular majors in Orange County, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (17,867 and 20.9%), General Business Administration & Management (7,757 and 9.09%), and Other Multidisciplinary Studies (2,894 and 3.39%).

The median tuition costs in Orange County, CA are $32,250 for private four year colleges, and $3,423 and $13,263 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
6,367 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
2,741 degree-majorss awarded
Humanistic Studies
2,384 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Orange County, CA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 6,367 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

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of California-Irvine
11,637 degrees awarded
California State University-Fullerton
11,487 degrees awarded
Saddleback College
6,766 degrees awarded

$3,423

Median In-State Public

$32,250

Median Private

In 2020, the Orange County, CA institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of California-Irvine with 11,637 degrees awarded.

Student Sex for Common Institutions

35,916

Degrees Awarded to Men

49,458

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2020, 35,916 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Orange County, CA, which is 0.726 times less than the 49,458 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 institutions in Orange County, CA by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
28,429 degrees awarded
White
23,731 degrees awarded
Asian
18,116 degrees awarded

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions in Orange County, CA was Hispanic or Latino students. These 28,429 degrees mean that there were 1.2 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 23,731 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Orange County, CA was $703,800 in 2020, which is 3.06 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $679,300 to $703,800, a 3.61% increase. The homeownership rate in Orange County, CA is 57.2%, which is lower than the national average of 64.4%. People in Orange County, CA have an average commute time of 28 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.

Housing

Property Value

$703,800

2020 Median

± $2,560

$679,300

2019 Median

± $2,132

In 2020, the median property value in Orange County, CA grew to to $703,800 from the previous year's value of $679,300.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Orange County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Orange County, CA the largest share of households have a property value in the $500k - $750k range.

Household Income

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

$94,441

Median Household Income

± $866

1.04M

Number of Households

± 7,556

In 2020, the median household income of the 1.04M households in Orange County, CA grew to $94,441 from the previous year's value of $90,234.

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.

Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Orange County, CA 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.

Rent vs Own

57.2%

2020 Homeownership

57.4%

2019 Homeownership

In 2020, 57.2% of the housing units in Orange County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 57.4%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 64.4%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Orange County, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

28 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Orange County, CA have a longer commute time (28 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 2.96% 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.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (76.1%)
Carpooled (9.54%)
Worked At Home (8.98%)

In 2020, 76.1% of workers in Orange County, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.54%) and those who worked at home (8.98%).

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.

Transportation

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, followed by false.

Health

92.9% of the population of Orange County, CA has health coverage, with 49.9% on employee plans, 18.1% on Medicaid, 10.6% on Medicare, 13.6% on non-group plans, and 0.591% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in California was $7,549 in 2014. This is a 4.04% increase from the previous year ($7,256).

Primary care physicians in Orange County, CA see 1012 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.46% decrease from the previous year (1027 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 870 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 344 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Amador County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (17%). Additionally, Colusa County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (39%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,012 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Orange County, CA

Primary care physicians in Orange County, CA see an average of 1,012 patients per year. This represents a 1.46% decrease from the previous year (1,027 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.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

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

$7,549

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in California

$4,735

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$5,368

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,833

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in California (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.04%, from $7,256 to $7,549.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

7.14%

Uninsured

49.9%

Employer Coverage

18.1%

Medicaid

10.6%

Medicare

13.6%

Non-Group

0.591%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Orange County, CA declined by 5.92% from 7.59% to 7.14%.

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.