Cost of living in Orange research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Orange is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Orange is 170, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Orange is 1.7x higher than the national average.
Orange ranks as the #434 cheapest in California out of 634.
Orange ranks as the #6,068 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Orange is $1,096,966.
The median income in Orange is $116,945.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Orange has an overall cost of living index of 170, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Orange has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Orange ranks as #434 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Orange ranks as the #200 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Orange, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Orange. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Orange is 111.
The Groceries index in Orange is 113.
The Health index in Orange is 100.
The Housing index in Orange is 318.
The Transportation index in Orange is 124.
The Utilities index in Orange is 92.
| Living Expense | Orange | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 170 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 111 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 113 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 100 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 318 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 124 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 92 | 128 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Orange is $1,096,966.
The Median Rent in Orange is $2,252.
The Median Income in Orange is $116,945.
The Home Value To Income in Orange is 9.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Orange is 0.23x.
| Statistic | Orange | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,096,966 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,252 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $116,945 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.4x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
| Item | Orange | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.34 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.04 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $21.11 | $18 |
| Haircut | $27.27 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $41.78 | $45.56 |
| Item | Orange | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.89 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $3.49 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.92 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.92 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $15.31 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.26 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.61 | $3.7 |
| Item | Orange | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $112.92 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $95.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $117.28 | $113.29 |
| Item | Orange | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.75 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.38 | $59.92 |
| Item | Orange | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $378.97 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Orange. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Anaheim, CA has a cost of living index of 160, 0.9x Orange.
Santa Ana, CA has a cost of living index of 154, 0.9x Orange.
Garden Grove, CA has a cost of living index of 160, 0.9x Orange.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim, CA | 344,553 | 160 | 0.9x |
| Santa Ana, CA | 311,639 | 154 | 0.9x |
| Garden Grove, CA | 170,603 | 160 | 0.9x |
| Mission Viejo, CA | 92,415 | 184 | 1.1x |
| Lake Forest, CA | 85,846 | 175 | 1.0x |
| Lakewood, CA | 80,510 | 164 | 1.0x |
| Tustin, CA | 79,035 | 176 | 1.0x |
| Fountain Valley, CA | 56,358 | 186 | 1.1x |
| Placentia, CA | 52,384 | 169 | 1.0x |
| Aliso Viejo, CA | 51,320 | 174 | 1.0x |