The Town FilesBrea, California
City in Orange County · population 47,325 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $922,300
- Household income
- $131,129
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 39.7
Brea is a city of 47,325 people in Orange County, California. The median home is worth $922,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 87% of California towns, more vibrant than 83% of California towns, more upscale than 80% of California towns.
How Brea ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brea is worth $922,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.0 times the median household income of $131,129, which is more affordable than 41% of California towns. Median rent is $2,397 a month. 59.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brea | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $922,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,397 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $131,129 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 59.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Brea
| People | Brea | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 24.4% | — |
| Work from home | 15.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.9% | 93.3% |
Weather in Brea
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 48.9°F. About 13.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brea since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on December 7, 1992 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 23, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on March 1, 2014.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, chemical.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 16, 2026 | Fire | FM-5679: Norte Fire |
| May 25, 2026 | Chemical | EM-3646: Chemical Release |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| May 12, 2022 | Fire | FM-5439: Coastal Fire |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 1,661,276 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $81,403 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Brea itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Brea
9 public schools with 5,879 students, about 23.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brea Olinda High | 9-12 | 1,710 | 21.9 |
| Brea Junior High | 7-8 | 919 | 22.4 |
| Olinda Elementary | K-6 | 668 | 24.7 |
| Falcon Academy of Science and Technology | K-6 | 557 | 24.2 |
| Brea Country Hills Elementary | K-6 | 543 | 27.2 |
| Mariposa Elementary | K-6 | 542 | 25.8 |
| Laurel Elem Magnet Sch of Innovation and Career Explr | K-6 | 473 | 23.7 |
| Arovista Elementary | K-6 | 412 | 22.9 |
| Brea Canyon High (Continuation) | 9-12 | 55 | 9.2 |
Towns near Brea
- Placentia, CA3.1 mi · 51,824 people · home $921,000
- Rowland Heights, CA3.4 mi · 48,231 people · home $851,300
- Fullerton, CA4.5 mi · 143,617 people · home $902,600
- La Habra, CA5.0 mi · 63,097 people · home $781,600
- La Habra Heights, CA5.3 mi · 5,682 people · home $1,201,000
- Yorba Linda, CA5.9 mi · 68,336 people · home $1,147,100
- Diamond Bar, CA5.9 mi · 55,072 people · home $902,200
- South San Jose Hills, CA6.4 mi · 19,855 people · home $544,400
Brea questions
Is Brea, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brea scores better for retirees than 41% of California towns and quieter than 28%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.7).
How much does a house cost in Brea?
The median owner-occupied home in Brea is valued at $922,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $131,129, so homes cost about 7.0 times income. Median rent is $2,397 a month.
What is the weather like in Brea?
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 48.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Brea get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brea since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on December 7, 1992. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)