Orange County, California Income Statistics
Orange County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Orange County Around averageWealthier than 82% of counties in California
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Orange County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $116,542 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $73,556 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.1% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 20.6% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 25.4% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Orange County is about 18% higher than in California. Income has been growing slower in Orange County (5.1%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 21% of adults in Orange County 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 Orange County, California grew by 57.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $116,542 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Orange County
| Metric | Orange County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.564 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $85,140 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $70,428 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.3% | 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 Orange County, it is 0.564, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 21% more than women's income in Orange County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $514,920 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Orange County, California has narrowed from about 19% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 19% in 2012, and was narrowest at 14% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,355 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Orange County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 18.5% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 91,434 people are unemployed in Orange County, California.
The average commute time in Orange County is 23 minutes, about the same as in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Orange County, California has fallen from 8.3% to 5.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.4% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.6% in 2019.
Orange County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Orange County, CA is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 3,164,225 residents against a local median of 2,477,722. The measure that sets Orange County, CA apart most is median household income: $116,542, 24% above the local median of $93,715. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 5.4% against a local median of 6.5%, 17% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Orange County, CA is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread $40,614 on median household income, so Orange County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Orange County, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County, CA | 3,164,225 | $116,542 #1/6 | 5.1%/yr #4/6 | 5.4% #1/6 | 0.564 #3/6 |
| Los Angeles County, CA | 9,796,997 | $90,339 | 5.6%/yr | 7.3% | 0.581 |
| San Diego County, CA | 3,282,387 | $106,588 | 6.0%/yr | 5.8% | 0.552 |
| Ventura County, CA | 836,943 | $110,868 | 4.3%/yr | 5.7% | 0.557 |
| Riverside County, CA | 2,477,722 | $93,715 | 6.2%/yr | 6.5% | 0.577 |
| Kern County, CA | 915,060 | $70,255 | 4.4%/yr | 8.6% | 0.605 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Orange County, 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 Orange County, California.
How Wealthy Is Orange County, California?
Orange County 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 $116,542, about 18% higher than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Orange County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Orange County, California rose 57%, from $74,236 to $116,542. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +57% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Orange County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Orange County, California was $113,925, up 4% from $109,790 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Orange County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Orange County, California was $94,790. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $116,542.
What is the Gini coefficient in Orange County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Orange County is 0.564. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Orange County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Orange County, California has narrowed from about 19% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 19% in 2012, and was narrowest at 14% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,355 since 2009.
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