los angeles housing "orange county" - craigslist (2024)

FAQs

Is it cheaper to live in LA County or Orange County? ›

Here's how much you'll pay to rent or buy in Orange County. As a general rule, Orange County is more affordable than West Los Angeles, but many areas of LA are cheaper than the O.C. Irvine is the most expensive place to live in Orange County – check out our in-depth guide to the Irvine cost of living.

Known as “The OC,” Orange County is not Los Angeles—an important distinction for us locals—though we live just below the larger-than-life city. Orange County encompasses Huntington Beach, Anaheim (aka Disneyland), Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, San Juan Capistrano, Costa Mesa, Buena Park, Irvine and Santa Ana.

According to the federal government, housing is “affordable” if it costs no more than 30% of the monthly household income for rent and utilities. Most affordable housing developments are built for families and individuals with incomes of 60% or less than the area median income (AMI).

Both Los Angeles and Orange County have some amazing places to enjoy, be it alone or with your family. The Los Angeles area will have some of the more popular beaches in California. While after the movers in Orange County help you out, you will have a lot of clean and stunning beaches.

1. Lakeland Village. With a median home price of $600,191 and a median rent of $1,578, Lakeland Village is the cheapest city on our list.

Which are the richest cities in Orange County, CA? According to 2015-2019 census data, the three Orange County cities with the highest median household incomes are Yorba Linda ($129,995), Laguna Beach ($129,983), and Newport Beach ($127,223).

The completion of Interstate 5 in 1954 helped make Orange County a bedroom community for many who moved to Southern California to work in aerospace and manufacturing. Orange County received a further economic boost in 1955 with the opening of Disneyland.

But the county has undergone dramatic changes both politically and demographically. The region has shifted from the largely white center of conservative politics in California to a far more diverse place and one of the few true purple counties in the US, the effects of which have reverberated nationally.

How much do you have to make to qualify for low income housing in California? ›

Bakersfield is one of the cheapest place to rent in California with an average home rent of $1,894. It also offers affordable healthcare, which is 8% lower than the state average. This Central Valley hub is also known for its booming agricultural industry and unique Basque culinary scene.

Seven of the 10 safest cities in California are all located in Orange County, according to a newly released ranking by the home security company SafeWise. None of Los Angeles County's cities ranked in the top 10 of the 2024 report.

Orange county is mostly newer having been developed mostly in the 60s through 80s. LA was developed in the 20s through the 50s. Orange County has fewer old downtowns and is more strip mall oriented suburbs. LA county has more oil and industry and has of course the city and Hollywood and Venice.

As a rule of thumb, a good salary in Los Angeles is between $100k and $200k gross per year. Based on the cost of living in Los Angeles, this should come down to a minimum of $76,710 yearly after taxes.

Irvine vs Los Angeles Cost of Living

That indicates Irvine is 81.1% more expensive than the rest of the US and 31.8% more expensive than Los Angeles. The main cause of the high cost of living in Irvine vs Los Angeles is housing. The median listing price of a home in Irvine is $1.4 million, compared to $998,000 in LA.

Orange County ranks among California's most expensive areas to buy a home. Orange County is one of California's least affordable regions in terms of households that can afford a median home.