Los Angeles County vs Orange County
Los Angeles County, California versus Orange County, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Los Angeles County and Orange County score about the same overall (42 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Los Angeles County | Orange County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $83k | $109k |
| Cost of Living | $66k | $83k |
| Home Value | $732k | $863k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.70% | 0.67% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 22.36% | 21.54% |
| Unemployment | 7.0% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 57°F | 56°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.5 in | 13.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 1.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 299 days | 276 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 288 days | 205 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 100.0 | 99.8 |
| Air Quality | 67 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 83.9 | 66.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1368/100k | 823/100k |
| Property Crime | 2533/100k | 2003/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 9,936,690 | 3,175,227 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 38.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.74 | 0.67 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+45 | Even |
| White (%) | 25.2% | 38.5% |
| Black (%) | 7.6% | 1.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 48.7% | 33.9% |
| Asian (%) | 14.6% | 21.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 4.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 31 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 13.4/20 | 13.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 11 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.2% | 93.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.61 | 2.74 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Los Angeles County or Orange County more affordable?
- Los Angeles County has the lower cost of living: its index is $66k, compared with Los Angeles County's $66k and Orange County's $83k. Median rent is $2k in Los Angeles County versus $2k in Orange County.
- Is Los Angeles County or Orange County safer?
- Orange County has the lower violent crime rate. Los Angeles County reports 1368/100k and Orange County reports 823/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Los Angeles County or Orange County?
- The median home value is $732k in Los Angeles County and $863k in Orange County, so homes are more affordable in Los Angeles County.