While big cities like Anaheim offer culture, cuisine, and charisma, they also deliver terrible traffic, towering expenses, and a taxing quality of life.
With that in mind, we wanted to uncover the best suburbs around Anaheim. These burbs have all of the benefits of being near Anaheim without actually having to be in the city.
Of course, not all suburbs of Anaheim are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. Using Saturday Night Science, we delve into the factors that matter most, from commutes and housing costs to community vibes, to help you uncover the perfect suburban spots in the Greater Anaheim area.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 best suburbs to live around Anaheim for 2025:
What’s the best suburb of Anaheim? Sierra Madre ranks as the best suburb of Anaheim for 2025 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of Sierra Madre, you’re probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.
We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 Anaheim ‘burbs better than the rest–but first, a bit about our methodology.
Feel free to check out some more reading about California:
The 10 Best Anaheim Suburbs To Live For 2025
/10
Population: 11,020
Median Income: $141,094
Unemployment Rate: 2.7%
Poverty Rate: 4.8%
More on Sierra Madre: Data
Sierra Madre is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the Anaheim area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome Sierra Madre.”
Everyone here is rich; families average $141,094 a year, which is the 8th highest in the Anaheim region. And only 2.73% are out of work. Homes average more than $1,172,200 each.
/10
Population: 26,297
Median Income: $128,105
Unemployment Rate: 4.8%
Poverty Rate: 5.1%
More on South Pasadena: Data
South Pasadena is the second best ‘burb we looked at near Anaheim for 2025.
It ranks 18th for incomes in the area and only 3.67% of residents lack insurance, good for 13th best.
/10
Population: 12,279
Median Income: $187,633
Unemployment Rate: 4.1%
Poverty Rate: 5.8%
More on San Marino: Data
Here in San Marino, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the Anaheim metro area.
The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.
But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in San Marino.
/10
Population: 5,546
Median Income: $186,837
Unemployment Rate: 1.0%
Poverty Rate: 3.6%
More on La Habra Heights: Data
La Habra Heights ranks as the 4th best suburb of Anaheim for 2025.
You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in La Habra Heights and the schools are some of the best around.
/10
Population: 67,407
Median Income: $152,060
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%
Poverty Rate: 5.6%
More on Yorba Linda: Data
Coming in as the fifth best is Yorba Linda.
Yorba Linda gets kudos for having the 14th most expensive homes in the Anaheim area, where houses sell for an average of $1,091,700. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.
/10
Population: 84,304
Median Income: $158,461
Unemployment Rate: 4.4%
Poverty Rate: 7.3%
More on Newport Beach: Data
Newport Beach is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.
Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 4.4%.
According to online reports, Newport Beach is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the Anaheim area, meaning you need to get in soon.
/10
Population: 92,415
Median Income: $136,071
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%
Poverty Rate: 5.0%
More on Mission Viejo: Data
The 7th best suburb on our list goes to Mission Viejo.
Mission Viejo schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.
And, it’s only 18.0 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.
/10
Population: 5,776
Median Income: $204,750
Unemployment Rate: 3.0%
Poverty Rate: 8.1%
More on Villa Park: Data
Villa Park is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.
A solid 1.32% of people lack insurance, good for 1st in the area.
/10
Population: 51,320
Median Income: $137,970
Unemployment Rate: 3.7%
Poverty Rate: 5.2%
More on Aliso Viejo: Data
Is ‘Everything Better In Aliso Viejo?’
Almost.
It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.
/10
Population: 15,375
Median Income: $115,833
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%
Poverty Rate: 5.3%
More on La Palma: Data
And rounding out the top ten for 2025 is La Palma.
This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around Anaheim for 2025
Figuring out the best suburbs around Anaheim was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.
We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2019-2023 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:
- Low unemployment rate
- High median household incomes
- Population density (lots of things to do)
- High home values
- A lot of college-educated people
- Low poverty
- High rate of insured families
We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Anaheim.
Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 3,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 103 suburbs to evaluate around Anaheim.
We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 103 in each category, where 1 was the “best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.
Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near Anaheim.” We’re lookin’ at you, Sierra Madre.
This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.
We updated the data for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking the best Anaheim suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.
Summary: Welcome to the Best Anaheim ‘Burbs of 2025
We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.
The best suburbs of Anaheim are .
So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like Anaheim but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.
For more California reading, check out:
Table: Best Anaheim Suburbs
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sierra Madre, CA | 11,020 | $141,094 | $1,172,200 |
| 2 | South Pasadena, CA | 26,297 | $128,105 | $1,545,100 |
| 3 | San Marino, CA | 12,279 | $187,633 | $2,000,001 |
| 4 | La Habra Heights, CA | 5,546 | $186,837 | $1,114,100 |
| 5 | Yorba Linda, CA | 67,407 | $152,060 | $1,091,700 |
| 6 | Newport Beach, CA | 84,304 | $158,461 | $2,000,001 |
| 7 | Mission Viejo, CA | 92,415 | $136,071 | $946,300 |
| 8 | Villa Park, CA | 5,776 | $204,750 | $1,686,200 |
| 9 | Aliso Viejo, CA | 51,320 | $137,970 | $863,800 |
| 10 | La Palma, CA | 15,375 | $115,833 | $916,600 |
| 11 | Dana Point, CA | 32,883 | $127,246 | $1,200,900 |
| 12 | El Cerrito, CA | 25,781 | $127,475 | $1,107,500 |
| 13 | Eastvale, CA | 70,179 | $161,322 | $752,000 |
| 14 | Cerritos, CA | 48,340 | $133,953 | $908,600 |
| 15 | Laguna Beach, CA | 22,777 | $140,508 | $2,000,001 |
| 16 | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | 47,257 | $146,827 | $907,900 |
| 17 | San Clemente, CA | 63,510 | $134,735 | $1,220,500 |
| 18 | Arcadia, CA | 55,550 | $116,142 | $1,336,500 |
| 19 | Lake Forest, CA | 85,846 | $131,378 | $876,300 |
| 20 | Walnut, CA | 27,857 | $133,762 | $972,500 |
| 21 | Laguna Niguel, CA | 64,023 | $140,605 | $1,123,000 |
| 22 | La Mirada, CA | 46,945 | $110,177 | $763,200 |
| 23 | Huntington Beach, CA | 196,010 | $119,885 | $1,047,300 |
| 24 | Cypress, CA | 49,531 | $124,167 | $870,100 |
| 25 | Lakewood, CA | 80,510 | $116,794 | $774,100 |
| 26 | Claremont, CA | 36,553 | $122,127 | $870,800 |
| 27 | Brea, CA | 47,337 | $124,837 | $874,300 |
| 28 | Laguna Hills, CA | 30,921 | $122,778 | $944,000 |
| 29 | Irvine, CA | 308,160 | $129,647 | $1,115,400 |
| 30 | Fountain Valley, CA | 56,358 | $111,797 | $1,018,600 |
| 31 | Diamond Bar, CA | 53,750 | $106,602 | $867,000 |
| 32 | San Juan Capistrano, CA | 34,998 | $127,893 | $929,700 |
| 33 | Orange, CA | 138,723 | $116,945 | $900,700 |
| 34 | Placentia, CA | 52,384 | $110,575 | $871,000 |
| 35 | Glendora, CA | 51,350 | $111,915 | $820,800 |
| 36 | Norco, CA | 25,211 | $125,117 | $731,900 |
| 37 | Costa Mesa, CA | 110,538 | $110,073 | $1,054,700 |
| 38 | Tustin, CA | 79,035 | $108,435 | $890,600 |
| 39 | La Verne, CA | 30,804 | $104,565 | $793,900 |
| 40 | Seal Beach, CA | 24,868 | $83,045 | $492,200 |
| 41 | Buena Park, CA | 83,052 | $108,187 | $771,900 |
| 42 | Chino Hills, CA | 78,024 | $122,600 | $830,000 |
| 43 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 174,693 | $109,511 | $694,400 |
| 44 | Signal Hill, CA | 11,563 | $102,303 | $725,500 |
| 45 | Monrovia, CA | 37,553 | $97,083 | $891,700 |
| 46 | Upland, CA | 78,940 | $101,407 | $688,800 |
| 47 | Whittier, CA | 85,925 | $92,374 | $751,700 |
| 48 | San Dimas, CA | 34,099 | $105,833 | $756,200 |
| 49 | Alhambra, CA | 81,483 | $85,189 | $812,700 |
| 50 | San Gabriel, CA | 38,764 | $87,592 | $899,000 |
| 51 | West Covina, CA | 107,436 | $98,570 | $712,300 |
| 52 | Downey, CA | 111,793 | $87,400 | $728,500 |
| 53 | Covina, CA | 50,143 | $94,792 | $666,000 |
| 54 | Monterey Park, CA | 59,639 | $77,605 | $818,300 |
| 55 | Fullerton, CA | 141,278 | $104,219 | $859,600 |
| 56 | Corona, CA | 158,839 | $106,438 | $656,500 |
| 57 | Temple, CA | 5,655 | $89,269 | $210,800 |
| 58 | Duarte, CA | 21,921 | $97,952 | $710,700 |
| 59 | Garden Grove, CA | 170,603 | $90,166 | $765,500 |
| 60 | Norwalk, CA | 100,713 | $98,709 | $616,600 |
| 61 | Los Alamitos, CA | 11,784 | $98,539 | $1,003,900 |
| 62 | La Habra, CA | 62,233 | $98,158 | $716,700 |
| 63 | Artesia, CA | 16,044 | $97,712 | $763,700 |
| 64 | Chino, CA | 91,775 | $103,845 | $641,500 |
| 65 | Pico Rivera, CA | 60,821 | $86,956 | $621,400 |
| 66 | Rosemead, CA | 50,340 | $72,248 | $729,600 |
| 67 | Laguna Woods, CA | 17,342 | $60,235 | $364,900 |
| 68 | Carson, CA | 93,523 | $107,391 | $645,600 |
| 69 | Santa Ana, CA | 311,639 | $88,354 | $657,800 |
| 70 | Westminster, CA | 90,147 | $82,686 | $820,000 |
| 71 | Santa Fe Springs, CA | 19,310 | $86,857 | $624,700 |
| 72 | Long Beach, CA | 458,491 | $83,969 | $762,200 |
| 73 | Grand Terrace, CA | 13,069 | $83,668 | $465,800 |
| 74 | La Puente, CA | 37,404 | $84,811 | $593,200 |
| 75 | Bellflower, CA | 77,396 | $77,602 | $661,100 |
| 76 | Midway, CA | 3,504 | $61,048 | $212,400 |
| 77 | Fontana, CA | 211,921 | $98,187 | $558,500 |
| 78 | Azusa, CA | 49,318 | $85,727 | $607,400 |
| 79 | Baldwin Park, CA | 70,720 | $79,087 | $588,100 |
| 80 | Riverside, CA | 316,241 | $88,575 | $542,100 |
| 81 | Hawaiian Gardens, CA | 13,816 | $76,025 | $509,600 |
| 82 | Stanton, CA | 38,639 | $81,455 | $541,000 |
| 83 | Lake Elsinore, CA | 71,516 | $96,527 | $505,700 |
| 84 | Montebello, CA | 61,376 | $74,955 | $660,700 |
| 85 | Ontario, CA | 178,347 | $82,806 | $568,000 |
| 86 | Paramount, CA | 52,546 | $70,912 | $500,400 |
| 87 | Pomona, CA | 148,391 | $78,869 | $569,600 |
| 88 | Montclair, CA | 37,809 | $76,338 | $549,600 |
| 89 | South Gate, CA | 91,836 | $71,315 | $608,500 |
| 90 | El Monte, CA | 107,066 | $64,484 | $626,000 |
| 91 | Lakeland, CA | 117,030 | $60,947 | $229,100 |
| 92 | Commerce, CA | 12,072 | $71,768 | $583,200 |
| 93 | Jurupa Valley, CA | 106,244 | $96,190 | $538,700 |
| 94 | Maywood, CA | 24,593 | $61,655 | $595,000 |
| 95 | Bell Gardens, CA | 38,661 | $55,372 | $527,900 |
| 96 | Compton, CA | 93,525 | $74,270 | $546,700 |
| 97 | Rialto, CA | 103,866 | $85,521 | $454,400 |
| 98 | Lynwood, CA | 65,291 | $70,236 | $569,400 |
| 99 | Bell, CA | 32,830 | $60,641 | $561,400 |
| 100 | Huntington Park, CA | 53,658 | $56,952 | $557,600 |