Brea, California Income Statistics
Brea Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Brea Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Brea | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $122,393 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $81,171 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.7% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 23.1% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 25.6% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Brea is about 23% higher than in California. Income has been growing slower in Brea (4.7%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 23% of adults in Brea earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Brea, California grew by 54.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $122,393 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Brea
| Metric | Brea | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.541 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $96,358 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $79,110 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.9% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Brea, it is 0.541, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 22% more than women's income in Brea, California. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $603,680 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Brea, California has narrowed from about 25% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2011, and was narrowest at 12% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $274 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Brea | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 14.7% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 28 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,330 people are unemployed in Brea, California.
The average commute time in Brea is 28 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Brea, California has fallen from 8.3% to 6.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.1% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.8% in 2019.
Brea, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Brea, CA is the smallest of the 6 cities compared here, 42,002 residents against a local median of 58,782. The measure that sets Brea, CA apart most is median household income: $122,393, 20% above the local median of $101,973. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread $21,124 on median household income, so Brea, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Brea, CA has the highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brea, CA | 42,002 | $122,393 #1/6 | 4.7%/yr #4/6 | 6.0% #3/6 | 0.541 #1/6 |
| Placentia, CA | 53,416 | $109,667 | 4.1%/yr | 6.3% | 0.560 |
| Rowland Heights, CA | 44,324 | $88,543 | 3.6%/yr | 5.9% | 0.591 |
| Fullerton, CA | 142,090 | $107,253 | 5.8%/yr | 6.1% | 0.569 |
| Anaheim, CA | 333,336 | $95,592 | 5.5%/yr | 5.8% | 0.576 |
| La Habra, CA | 58,782 | $101,973 | 5.4%/yr | 6.9% | 0.551 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Brea, California has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than California, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Brea, California.
How Rich Is Brea, California?
Brea has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $122,393, about 23% higher than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Brea, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Brea, California rose 54%, from $79,437 to $122,393. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +54% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Brea in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Brea, California was $117,736, up 3% from $114,101 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Brea in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Brea, California was $98,244. By 2024 it had risen 25% to $122,393.
How many people earn six figures in Brea, California?
Yes. 23% of adults in Brea, California earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 4), against 18% (about 1 in 6) in California. 26% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 20% in California.
What is the Gini coefficient in Brea, California?
The Gini coefficient in Brea is 0.541. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Brea, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Brea, California has narrowed from about 25% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2011, and was narrowest at 12% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $274 since 2009.
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