Brea, California | |
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 Market City Cafe in Brea downtown | |
 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
 Location of Brea in Orange County, California. | |
  Brea Location in California Show map of California Brea Location within the United States Show map of the United States Brea Location within North America Show map of North America | |
| Coordinates:33°55′24″N117°53′20″W / 33.92333°N 117.88889°W /33.92333; -117.88889 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Orange |
| Incorporated | February 23, 1917[1] |
| Named after | Spanish for "natural asphalt" or "tar" |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| • Mayor | Blair Stewart |
| • City Council[4] | Cecilia Hupp Christine Marick Marty Simonoff Steven Vargas |
| • City treasurer | Rick Rios[2] |
| • City manager | Kristin Griffith[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 12.20 sq mi (31.61 km2) |
| • Land | 12.17 sq mi (31.51 km2) |
| • Water | 0.039 sq mi (0.10 km2) 0.26% |
| Elevation | 360 ft (110 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 47,325 |
| • Density | 3,889.4/sq mi (1,501.72/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes | 92821–92823 |
| Area codes | 657/714,562 |
| FIPS code | 06-08100 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1660373,2409897 |
| Website | cityofbrea.gov |
Brea (/ˈbreɪə/BRAY-uh;[7]Spanish for 'tar') is a city in northernOrange County, California, United States. The population as of the2020 census was 47,325. It is 33 miles (53 km) southeast ofLos Angeles. Brea is part of theLos Angeles metropolitan area.
The city began as a center ofcrude oil production and was later propelled bycitrus production. It is a significant retail center, including theCarbon Canyon Dam,Carbon Canyon Regional Park,Brea Mall and downtown Brea. The city has an extensivepublic art program that began in 1975 and has over 140 artworks placed throughout the city.[8]
The area began as part of the homelands of theTongva, who lived in the area for thousands of years before any contact was made with Europeans.[9] The Tongva established extensive routes for travel and trade between Tongva villages as well as with neighboring Indigenous nations. The closest known village site to the city of Brea today isHutuknga.[10]
The area was visited on July 29, 1769, by the SpanishPortolá expedition, the first Europeans to see inland parts ofAlta California. The party camped in Brea Canyon, near a large native village and a small pool of clean water.[11]
The village ofOlinda was founded in present-day Carbon Canyon at the beginning of the 19th century. Many entrepreneurs came to the area searching for "black gold" (petroleum).
The majority of the current city borders of Brea were within the Rancho San Juan Cajon de Santa Ana.[12] The cessation of territory to the United States in 1848 ushered in a new era of decline for the ranchos as rigorous title-proving processes enacted in 1851 and drought in 1860 caused most owners to sell their land.[13]
The 1880s saw the development of agriculture in northern Orange County, particularly in the form ofValencia Oranges after it was found that the crop grew better in the cool foothills.[14] Additionally, the construction of the Santa Fe Railroad as well as the discovery of oil in the area created an environment that kept winter frost from damaging the plant.[15] Nearby oil fields provided supply for a process called "smudging", subsequently causing a grimy fog to settle over the area which reportedly caused health issues for the workers.[14]
In 1894, the owner of the land,Abel Stearns, sold 1,200 acres (4.9 km2) west of Olinda to the newly createdUnion Oil Company of California, and by 1898 many nearby hills began sporting wooden oil drilling towers on the newly discoveredBrea-Olinda Oil Field. In 1908 the village of Randolph, named for railway engineerEpes Randolph, was founded just south of Brea Canyon for oil workers and their families. Baseball legendWalter Johnson grew up in Olinda at the start of the 20th century, working in the surroundingoil fields.[16]
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Olinda and Randolph grew and merged as the economy boomed. On January 19, 1911, the town's map was filed under the new name of Brea, from the Spanish language word fornatural asphalt, also called bitumen, pitch, or tar. With a population of 752, Brea wasincorporated on February 23, 1917, as the eighth official city ofOrange County.
As oil production declined, some agricultural development took place, especially lemon and orange groves. In the 1920s, the BreaChamber of Commerce promoted the city with the slogan “Oil, Oranges, and Opportunity.”[17]
In 1950, Brea had a population of 3,208, 641 more than ten years earlier. The citrus groves gave way gradually to industrial parks and residential development. In 1956,Carl N. Karcher opened the first twoCarl's Jr. restaurants inAnaheim and Brea. The opening of theOrange Freeway (57) and theBrea Mall in the 1970s spurred further residential growth, including large planned developments east of the 57 Freeway in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.
In the late 1990s, a 50-acre (200,000 m2) swath of downtown Brea centered on Brea Boulevard and Birch Street was redeveloped into a shopping and entertainment area with movie theaters, sidewalk cafes, a live comedy club fromThe Improv chain, numerous shops and restaurants, and a weekly farmer's market. It is locally known and signed as Downtown Brea. The downtown area opened in 2000.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 12.1 square miles (31 km2). 12.1 square miles (31 km2) of it is land and 0.26% is water.
It is bordered by unincorporatedOrange County andLos Angeles County to the north and east,La Habra to the west,Fullerton to the southwest,Placentia to the south,Chino Hills to the northwest, andYorba Linda to the southeast.
According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Brea has ahot-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps.[18]
| Climate data for Brea, California | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 21 (69) | 21 (70) | 22 (72) | 23 (74) | 24 (76) | 27 (80) | 29 (85) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 27 (81) | 24 (75) | 21 (69) | 25 (77) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8 (47) | 9 (48) | 10 (50) | 11 (52) | 14 (57) | 16 (60) | 18 (64) | 18 (64) | 17 (62) | 14 (57) | 11 (51) | 8 (46) | 13 (55) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 64 (2.5) | 79 (3.1) | 69 (2.7) | 28 (1.1) | 5.1 (0.2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 10 (0.4) | 7.6 (0.3) | 7.6 (0.3) | 30 (1.2) | 61 (2.4) | 361.3 (14.2) |
| [citation needed] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 1,037 | — | |
| 1930 | 2,435 | 134.8% | |
| 1940 | 2,567 | 5.4% | |
| 1950 | 3,208 | 25.0% | |
| 1960 | 8,487 | 164.6% | |
| 1970 | 18,447 | 117.4% | |
| 1980 | 27,913 | 51.3% | |
| 1990 | 32,873 | 17.8% | |
| 2000 | 35,410 | 7.7% | |
| 2010 | 39,282 | 10.9% | |
| 2020 | 47,325 | 20.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[19] 1860–1870[20][21] 1880-1890[22] 1900[23] 1910[24] 1920[25] 1930[26] 1940[27] 1950[28] 1960[29] 1970[30] 1980[31] 1990[32]2000[33] 2010[34] 2020[35] | |||
Brea first appeared as a city in the1920 U.S. census as part of Brea Township.[32]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[36] | Pop 1990[37] | Pop 2000[38] | Pop 2010[39] | Pop 2020[35] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 23,668 | 25,359 | 23,541 | 20,690 | 18,256 | 84.73% | 77.14% | 66.48% | 52.67% | 38.58% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 56 | 332 | 409 | 499 | 784 | 0.20% | 1.01% | 1.16% | 1.27% | 1.66% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 276 | 115 | 111 | 90 | 101 | 0.99% | 0.35% | 0.31% | 0.23% | 0.21% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 638 | 1,957 | 3,184 | 7,068 | 13,082 | 2.28% | 5.95% | 8.99% | 17.99% | 27.64% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 71 | 62 | 54 | 0.20% | 0.16% | 0.11% | ||||
| Other race alone (NH) | 26 | 32 | 57 | 82 | 230 | 0.09% | 0.10% | 0.16% | 0.21% | 0.49% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x | x | 832 | 974 | 1,846 | x | x | 2.35% | 2.48% | 3.90% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,547 | 5,078 | 7,205 | 9,817 | 12,972 | 9.12% | 15.45% | 20.35% | 24.99% | 27.41% |
| Total | 27,913 | 32,873 | 35,410 | 39,282 | 47,325 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The2020 United States census reported that Brea had a population of 47,325. The population density was 3,889.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,501.7/km2). The racial makeup of Brea was 45.1%White, 1.8%African American, 0.8%Native American, 28.0%Asian, 0.2%Pacific Islander, 10.3% fromother races, and 14.0% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.4% of the population.[40]
The census reported that 99.4% of the population lived in households, 0.3% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.2% were institutionalized.[40]
There were 17,069 households, out of which 33.4% included children under the age of 18, 56.6% were married-couple households, 5.3% werecohabiting couple households, 24.1% had a female householder with no partner present, and 14.0% had a male householder with no partner present. 20.4% of households were one person, and 9.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.76.[40] There were 12,553families (73.5% of all households).[41]
The age distribution was 21.2% under the age of 18, 8.2% aged 18 to 24, 27.5% aged 25 to 44, 26.6% aged 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males.[40]
There were 17,881 housing units at an average density of 1,469.5 units per square mile (567.4 units/km2), of which 17,069 (95.5%) were occupied. Of these, 61.5% were owner-occupied, and 38.5% were occupied by renters.[40]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $124,837, and theper capita income was $53,128. About 4.5% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line.[42]
The2010 United States census[43] reported that Brea had a population of 39,282. The population density was 3,243.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,252.5/km2). The racial makeup of Brea was 26,363 (67.1%)White (52.7% Non-Hispanic White),[44] 549 (1.4%)African American, 190 (0.5%)Native American, 7,144 (18.2%)Asian, 69 (0.2%)Pacific Islander, 3,236 (8.2%) fromother races, and 1,731 (4.4%) from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 9,817 persons (25.0%).
The census reported that 39,213 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 69 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 14,266 households, out of which 5,043 (35.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 8,132 (57.0%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 1,605 (11.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 632 (4.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 569 (4.0%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 100 (0.7%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,070 households (21.5%) were made up of individuals, and 1,265 (8.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75. There were 10,369families (72.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.23.
The population was spread out, with 9,057 people (23.1%) under the age of 18, 3,654 people (9.3%) aged 18 to 24, 10,669 people (27.2%) aged 25 to 44, 10,952 people (27.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,950 people (12.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.
There were 14,785 housing units at an average density of 1,221.0 units per square mile (471.4 units/km2), of which 9,266 (65.0%) were owner-occupied, and 5,000 (35.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.3%. 26,889 people (68.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 12,324 people (31.4%) lived in rental housing units.
According to the 2010 United States census, Brea had a median household income of $82,055, with 5.6% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[44]
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Brea is governed by acouncil-manager system. The five-member city council is elected to four-year terms in elections held every two years to fill alternately two and three seats.[45] The council is made up of the mayor, the mayor pro tem and three councilmembers.[46] The council elects a mayor from the serving councilmembers to serve a one-year term as mayor. The city council hires a city manager to direct the city's departments and advise the council. The council appoints members of the Planning Commission; Parks, Recreation and Human Services Commission; Cultural Arts Commission, and Traffic Committee.[45]
In theUnited States House of Representatives, Brea is split betweenCalifornia's 45th congressional district, represented byDemocrat Derek Tran,[47] andCalifornia's 40th congressional district, represented byRepublican Young Kim.[48]
In theCalifornia State Assembly, Brea resides within the59th Assembly District,[49] represented byRepublican Phillip Chen.
In theCalifornia State Senate, Brea is split between two districts[49]
In theOrange County Board of Supervisors, Brea resides within the 4th District[49] represented byDoug Chaffee.
Brea is traditionally a Republican stronghold at the presidential level, Democratic nomineeJoe Biden carried the city in 2020.[citation needed] According to theOrange County Registrar of Voters, as of May 14, 2025, Brea has 30,626 registered voters.[50] Of those, 9,991 (40.33%) are registered Republicans, 7,370 (29.75%) are registered Democrats, and 6,466 (26.10%) have declined to state a political party or are independents.[51]
The Uniform Crime Report (UCR), collected annually by the FBI, compiles police statistics from local and state law enforcement agencies across the nation. The UCR records Part I and Part II crimes. Part I crimes become known to law enforcement and are considered the most serious crimes including homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Part II crimes only include arrest data.[52] The 2023 UCR Data for Brea is listed below:
| Aggravated Assault | Homicide | Rape | Robbery | Burglary | Larceny Theft | Motor Vehicle Theft | Arson | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brea | 51 | 1 | 11 | 44 | 174 | 1,223 | 99 | 2 |
| Year | Democratic | Republican | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020[54] | 50.52%12,801 | 47.54%12,046 | 1.95%493 |
| 2016[55] | 44.55%8,724 | 48.17%9,432 | 7.28%1,426 |
| 2012[56] | 39.66%7,197 | 57.89%10,504 | 2.45%444 |
| 2008[57] | 41.70%7,625 | 56.26%10,287 | 2.05%374 |
| 2004[58] | 33.35%5,722 | 65.56%11,248 | 1.08%186 |
| 2000[59] | 34.59%5,408 | 61.71%9,649 | 3.70%579 |
| 1996[60] | 34.70%4,931 | 55.40%7,872 | 9.90%1,407 |
| 1992[61] | 28.91%4,686 | 48.09%7,796 | 23.00%3,728 |
| 1988[62] | 27.82%4,061 | 71.06%10,372 | 1.12%164 |
| 1984[63] | 21.26%2,976 | 77.96%10,913 | 0.79%110 |
| 1980[64] | 20.79%2,660 | 71.03%9,088 | 8.18%1,046 |
| 1976[65] | 33.24%2,983 | 65.24%5,855 | 1.48%133 |
According to the city's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[66] the city's top employers are:
| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albertsons | 1,206 |
| 2 | Beckman Coulter | 837 |
| 3 | Brea Olinda Unified School District | 621 |
| 4 | Nationwide | 460 |
| 5 | Service Champions Plumbing, HVAC | 406 |
| 6 | Bristol Industries | 405 |
| 7 | Nordstrom | 250 |
| 8 | 24 Hour Fitness | 201 |
| 9 | Acosta Sales & Marketing | 163 |
| 10 | The Olive Garden | 122 |
Brea is primarily served by theBrea Olinda Unified School District, which operates six elementary schools, one junior high school (Brea Junior High School), one high school (Brea Olinda High School), and one continuation high school (Brea Canyon High School).[citation needed]
Transportation
TheOrange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) operates four local bus routes servicing 68 stops within Brea.[67]Foothill Transit Route 286 terminates at Brea Mall.[68]
City Services
Fire protection for Brea is provided by the Brea Fire Department,[69] and law enforcement is provided by the Brea Police Department. Within Carbon Canyon,[70] in theOlinda neighborhood of Brea,[71] is theOlinda Landfill,[72] a waste management facility serving Orange County.[73]
Brea is serviced by very few medical facilities:
Water in Brea is supplied by the City of Brea Utilities Water Division, which sources its water from theMetropolitan Water District of Southern California, importing water from the Colorado River and the State Water Project, drawing from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Additionally, Cal Domestic in Whitter imports groundwater from the Main San Gabriel groundwater basin.[74]
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