Orange County, California Demographics 2026
Orange County, California has a population of 3,165,820, the 3rd most populous county in California. The median household income is $116,289 and the median home value is $962,600. The poverty rate is 9.5%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Orange County Quick Facts
How Orange County Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,164,063 | 3,165,820 | +0.1% |
| Median household income | $113,702 | $116,289 | +2.3% |
| Median home value | $915,500 | $962,600 | +5.1% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
This community is exceptionally diverse, with no single racial or ethnic group dominating the population.
State average: 70 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Orange County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim | 344,521 | $95,227 | 12.4% | $831,200 |
| Santa Ana | 312,534 | $93,999 | 10.8% | $713,000 |
| Irvine | 311,690 | $136,719 | 10.8% | $1,191,500 |
| Huntington Beach | 195,240 | $120,919 | 7.8% | $1,100,000 |
| Garden Grove | 170,964 | $92,174 | 12.3% | $814,100 |
| Fullerton | 140,968 | $104,286 | 12.3% | $902,600 |
| Orange | 138,266 | $117,113 | 9.5% | $945,800 |
| Costa Mesa | 110,330 | $111,505 | 9.1% | $1,115,100 |
| Mission Viejo | 92,151 | $136,123 | 5.6% | $1,009,600 |
| Westminster | 89,860 | $85,541 | 14.4% | $858,300 |
| Lake Forest | 86,281 | $135,175 | 8.5% | $937,000 |
| Newport Beach | 83,845 | $156,867 | 6.6% | $2,000,000+ |
| Buena Park | 82,871 | $110,550 | 8.8% | $838,800 |
| Tustin | 78,981 | $112,503 | 9.9% | $950,400 |
| Yorba Linda | 67,170 | $157,582 | 5.8% | $1,147,100 |
| Laguna Niguel | 64,139 | $140,452 | 6.4% | $1,190,900 |
| San Clemente | 63,273 | $140,062 | 5.8% | $1,398,400 |
| La Habra | 61,970 | $100,106 | 10.9% | $781,600 |
| Fountain Valley | 56,258 | $115,237 | 8.0% | $1,072,300 |
| Placentia | 52,826 | $115,929 | 7.9% | $921,000 |
| Aliso Viejo | 51,113 | $142,439 | 5.1% | $917,900 |
| Cypress | 49,498 | $130,215 | 6.6% | $913,900 |
| Brea | 47,469 | $131,129 | 6.6% | $922,300 |
| Rancho Santa Margarita | 46,990 | $152,560 | 5.8% | $971,200 |
| Stanton | 39,402 | $84,707 | 13.4% | $579,300 |
| San Juan Capistrano | 35,095 | $129,457 | 8.3% | $993,800 |
| Dana Point | 32,790 | $141,520 | 7.2% | $1,320,300 |
| Laguna Hills | 30,740 | $128,851 | 7.8% | $1,012,300 |
| North Tustin | 25,807 | $177,351 | 5.2% | $1,347,800 |
| Seal Beach | 24,722 | $85,964 | 6.7% | $486,800 |
| Ladera Ranch | 23,793 | $184,458 | 4.2% | $1,151,000 |
| Laguna Beach | 22,710 | $143,843 | 6.1% | $2,000,000+ |
| Laguna Woods | 17,289 | $59,269 | 14.2% | $394,600 |
| La Palma | 15,272 | $117,989 | 5.0% | $973,600 |
| Coto de Caza | 15,190 | $243,816 | 3.0% | $1,535,600 |
| Rancho Mission Viejo | 11,971 | $192,813 | 2.7% | $1,110,100 |
| Los Alamitos | 11,794 | $97,155 | 8.9% | $1,061,900 |
| Rossmoor | 11,532 | $211,597 | 4.2% | $1,406,900 |
| Midway City | 7,999 | $66,635 | 18.0% | $788,600 |
| Villa Park | 5,748 | $202,245 | 7.8% | $1,871,700 |
| Las Flores (Orange County) | 5,513 | $211,782 | 4.8% | $1,119,100 |
| Trabuco Canyon | 1,326 | $229,239 | 7.2% | $1,303,700 |
| Silverado | 972 | $76,797 | 18.7% | $707,000 |
| Modjeska | 714 | $156,083 | 3.5% | $1,154,900 |
| Williams Canyon | 73 | N/A | 0.0% | N/A |
Explore California Rankings
Population Overview
Orange County is located in California with a total population of 3,165,820. It is the 3rd most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 45 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Orange County is 39.4 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Orange County is $116,289. This is 17% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 44% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.5%. This is 21% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.4%. This is 18% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $962,600. Housing costs are 31% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.3x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 56.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.
Race & Ethnicity
Orange County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 34.2%. The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 5.2%.
Education
44.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 19% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.1%. Notably, 16.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Orange County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Orange County, California?
Orange County has a population of 3,165,820, making it the 3rd most populous county in California.
What is the median income in Orange County?
The median household income in Orange County is $116,289 with a poverty rate of 9.5%.
How many cities are in Orange County, California?
Orange County contains 45 Census-designated places.