Orange receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Placentia
Orange
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs57 · Top 49%
Growth
31 · Bottom 18%
vs39 · Bottom 30%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 7%
vs12 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 7%
vs47 · Bottom 8%
Access
95 · Top 36%
vs95 · Top 34%
Economic stability
69 · Top 32%
vs68 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Placentia | Orange | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,826 | 138,266 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $115,929 | $117,113 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,006 | $51,601 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,847/sq mi | 5,387/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $921,000 | $945,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,388 | $2,327 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.6% | 56.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.2% | 39.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 9.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 53 | 88 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -59.2% | 37.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.9" | 11.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 27.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.87 | 22.88 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 52.3% | 70.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Placentia
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Orange
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Placentia, CA · Orange, CA · How this is calculated: methodology