Arianna Barrios, District 1 Jon Dumitru, District 2 Kathy Tavoularis, District 3 Denis Bilodeau, District 4 Ana Gutierrez, District 5 John Gyllenhammer, District 6
Orange is a city located in northernOrange County, California, United States. It is approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) north of thecounty seat,Santa Ana. Orange is unusual in this region because many of the homes in its Old Town District were built before 1920. While many other cities in the region demolished such houses in the 1960s, Orange decided to preserve them. The small city ofVilla Park is surrounded by the city of Orange. The population of Orange was 139,911 as of2020.[6]
Since at least 1864, Los Angeles attorneysAlfred Chapman andAndrew Glassell, together and separately, held about 5,400 acres (22 km2) along both sides of theSantiago Creek (Glassell also had a 4,000-acre (16 km2) parcel where Costa Mesa is today). Water was the key factor for the location of their townsite (bordered by Almond Avenue on the south, Lemon Street on the west, Glassell Street on the east, and Maple Avenue on the north). Glassell needed a spot he could irrigate, bringing water down from the Santa Ana Canyon and the quality of the soil may have influenced his choice. Originally, the community was namedRichland, but in 1873 Richland got a new name.In the book,Orange, The City 'Round The Plaza by local historianPhil Brigandi, it states, "In 1873 the town had grown large enough to require a post office, so an application was sent to Washington. It was refused, however, as there was (and is) already a Richland, California inSacramento County. Undaunted, the Richlanders proposed a new name – Orange."[11]
The small town was incorporated on April 6, 1888, under the general laws of the state of California. Orange was the only city in Orange County to be planned and built around a plaza, earning it the nicknamePlaza City.[12] Orange was the first developed town site to be served by theCalifornia Southern Railroad when the nation's secondtranscontinental rail line reached Orange County.[13]
The town experienced its first growth spurt during the last decade of the 19th century (as did many of the surrounding communities), thanks to ever-increasing demands for California-grown citrus fruits, a period some refer to as the "Orange Era". Southern California's real estate "boom" of 1886–1888, fueled by railroad rate wars, also contributed to a marked increase in population. Like most cities in Orange County, agriculture formed the backbone of the local economy, and growth thereafter was slow and steady until the 1950s, when a second real estate boom spurred development. Inspired by the development of a region-widefreeway system which connected Los Angeles' urban center with outlying areas like Orange, large tracts of housing were developed from the 1950s to the early 1970s and continues today, albeit at a much slower pace, at the eastern edge of the city.[14]
During theCOVID-19 pandemic, the City of Orange approved the closure of North and South Glassell Street to open the Orange Plaza Paseo, where businesses located on each street could opensocially-distant outdoor seating and patios. On December 8, 2020, the city council voted unanimously to continue to keep the street closed until state or local restrictions end or by council direction.[15]
The city has a total area of 25.8 square miles (66.9 km2), 25.7 square miles (66.5 km2) of which is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2) of which is water. The total area is 0.58% water.[4]
The highest recorded temperature was 113 °F (45 °C) in June 2016.
On average, the coolest month is December.
The lowest recorded temperature was 25 °F (−4 °C) in December 1990.
The maximum average precipitation occurs in January.[17]
The period of April through November is warm and dry with average high temperatures of 74 to 84 °F (23 to 29 °C) and lows of 52 to 64 °F (11 to 18 °C). The period of November through March is somewhat rainy, as shown in the table to the right.[18]
The Orange County area is also subject to the phenomena typical of amicroclimate. As such, the temperatures can vary as much as 18 °F (10 °C) between inland areas and the coast, with a temperature gradient of over 1 °F per mile (0.3 °C/km) from the coast inland. California also has a weather phenomenon called "June Gloom" or "May Gray," which sometimes brings overcast or foggy skies in the morning on the coast. Usually, it gives way to sunny skies by noon during late spring and early summer.
The Orange County area averages 15 in (380 mm) of precipitation annually, which mainly occurs during the winter and spring (November through April) with generally light rain showers, but sometimes as heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. Coastal Torrance receives slightly less rainfall, while the mountains receive somewhat more. Snowfall is infrequent in the city basin, but the mountains in the surrounding areas receive snowfall every winter.
Old Towne, Orange Historic District, a one square mile around theoriginal plaza, contains many of the original structures built in the period after the city's incorporation. It is a vibrant commercial district containing Orange County's oldest operating bank and many dining and retail amenities. The Historic District was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1997,[20] and is the largest National Register District in California. The Old Towne Preservation Association is a non-profit organization that maintains the district.
Orange is unique among the region and the state because it has the second largest concentration of historic buildings.[21] A list of all of the buildings and sites in Orange appears in the National Register of Historic Places.[20][22][23] The Civic Center was designed byWelton Becket in 1963.[24]
Though Orange is now a fully developed city, there are still several unincorporated portions of land within the city that have not yet been annexed, including El Modena and North El Modena,Orange Park Acres, and Olive.
Orange city, California – Racial and Ethnic Composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
The census reported that 95.1% of the population lived in households, 2.6% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 2.3% were institutionalized.[46]
There were 45,382 households, out of which 32.7% included children under the age of 18, 52.4% were married-couple households, 6.6% werecohabiting couple households, 25.3% had a female householder with no partner present, and 15.7% had a male householder with no partner present. 19.4% of households were one person, and 8.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.93.[46] There were 32,762families (72.2% of all households).[47]
The age distribution was 20.1% under the age of 18, 12.0% aged 18 to 24, 28.3% aged 25 to 44, 25.0% aged 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 37.0years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males.[46]
There were 46,893 housing units at an average density of 1,826.9 units per square mile (705.4 units/km2), of which 45,382 (96.8%) were occupied. Of these, 57.0% were owner-occupied, and 43.0% were occupied by renters.[46]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $116,945, and theper capita income was $50,759. About 5.4% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line.[48]
The2010 United States census[49] reported that Orange had a population of 136,416. The population density was 5,404.7 inhabitants per square mile (2,086.8/km2). The racial makeup of Orange was 91,522 (67.1%)White (46.8% Non-Hispanic White),[50] 2,227 (1.6%)African American, 993 (0.7%)Native American, 15,350 (11.3%)Asian, 352 (0.3%)Pacific Islander, 20,567 (15.1%) fromother races, and 5,405 (4.0%) from two or more races. There were 52,014Hispanic orLatino residents, of any race (38.1%).
The Census reported that 130,163 people (95.4% of the population) lived in households, 2,587 (1.9%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 3,666 (2.7%) were institutionalized.
There were 43,367 households, out of which 16,303 (37.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 23,572 (54.4%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 5,260 (12.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,424 (5.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,442 (5.6%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 373 (0.9%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 8,480 households (19.6%) were made up of individuals, and 3,115 (7.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00. There were 31,256families (72.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.42.
In Orange, there were 32,096 people (23.5%) under the age of 18, 16,420 people (12.0%) aged 18 to 24, 39,574 people (29.0%) aged 25 to 44, 33,698 people (24.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 14,628 people (10.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.
There were 45,111 housing units at an average density of 1,787.3 per square mile (690.1/km2), of which 26,319 (60.7%) were owner-occupied, and 17,048 (39.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.1%. 77,179 people (56.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 52,984 people (38.8%) lived in rental housing units.
During 2009–2013, Orange had a median household income of $78,838, with 11.8% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[50]
Crime data showed that Orange was safer than 35% of U.S. cities, and that its violent crime rate of about one per 1,000 residents was lower than the national average of four per 1,000. Its property crime rate was higher, at almost 16 property crimes per 1,000 residents, though still lower than the national and state averages. There were 94 crimes per square mile in Orange, higher than the state average of 83 and national average of about 28.[51]
2020 data indicated that year after year[vague] crime had continually decreased by 10%.[52]
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.[54] The 2023 UCR Data for Orange is listed below:
The Orange International Street Fair has occurred annually over Labor Day Weekend in Downtown Orange since 1973. The fair draws an average of 400,000 in attendance every year.[57][58]
The Woman's Club of Orange, organized in 1915, holds an annual flower show. Their clubhouse, built in 1923–1924, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[60][61]
Orange, like much of Orange County, is known for itsaffluence and politicalconservatism – a 2005 academic study listed Orange among three Orange County cities as being among America's 25 "most conservative", making it one of two counties in the country containing more than one such city (Maricopa County, Arizona also has three cities on the list).[87]
Orange remains a somewhat conservative city in recent years; however, in 2016,Hillary Clinton defeatedDonald Trump by 1,463 votes (2.7%). Nevertheless, the city voted 3% more Republican than the average of Orange County, and nearly 14% more Republican than the state of California as a whole. In 2020,Joe Biden carried the city by a larger margin, winning 52.5% of the vote to Donald Trump's 45.2%, though this was still much narrower than his statewide margin.
According to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, as of May 15, 2025, Orange had 81,722 registered voters.[88] Of those, 25,744 (36.87%) were registered Republicans, 22,162 (31.74%) are registered Democrats, and 18,759 (26.86%) were independents.[89]
Orange is situated nearInterstate 5, also known as theSanta Ana Freeway. The junction of I-5 with two state highways (SR 57, the "Orange Freeway" andSR 22, the "Garden Grove Freeway"), commonly called the"Orange Crush", is one of the busiest interchanges in Orange County, and is located on the southwestern edge of the city. The Costa Mesa Freeway (SR 55) also passes through Orange, meeting the eastern terminus of SR 22 in the southern part of the city. The eastern areas of Orange are served by the Eastern and FoothillToll Roads (SR 261 andSR 241) which connect the city with the cities ofIrvine andRancho Santa Margarita.
The town's first rail service, the Santa Ana, Orange and Tustin Street Railway, was a 4.04 miles (6.50 km) longhorsecar line that ran between Santa Ana and Orange, beginning in 1886. One year later, the Santa Ana and Orange Motor Road Company purchased the line, using a steam "dummy" car and a single gasoline motorcar as its means of conveyance. In 1906,Henry E. Huntington acquired the company under the auspices of the Los Angeles Inter-Urban Railway and electrified the line.
Passenger service over the new line operated by Huntington'sPacific Electric Railway began on June 8, 1914, originating at the PE's depot on Lemon Street. The route provided freight service to the local citrus growers, in direct competition with theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Pacific Electric sold out in 1961 to theSouthern Pacific Railroad, who ultimately abandoned the line in 1964.
The Santa Fe, under its affiliate theSouthern California Railway, laid its first tracks through Orange in 1886, and established its first depot the following year. The route would become part of the railroad's famous "Surf Line", and by 1925, 16 daily passenger trains (the Santa Fe'sSan Diegan) made stops in Orange. During peak growing seasons, as many as 48 carloads ofcitrusfruits,olives, andwalnuts were shipped daily from the Orange depot as well.
Orange's former Santa Fe depot, inMediterranean Revival style, still stands adjacent to the currentOrange station, which uses the platform area. It was dedicated on May 1, 1938, and was closed with the discontinuation of passenger service in 1971, though commuter service resumed at the adjacent platform in 1993. The building was granted historic landmark status by the city on November 15, 1990. In July 2004, the facility was home to aCask 'n Cleaver restaurant and was remodeled and reopened in 2011 as a Ruby's Diner.
Rail connections to Los Angeles, theInland Empire, andNorthern San Diego County are provided by theMetrolink regional commuter rail network. TheOrange station's platform is situated adjacent to the former Santa Fe depot in the downtown Historic District, which is also home to anOrange County Transportation Authority (OCTA)bus station, is the second busiest station of the entire Metrolink train system due to its position serving as a transfer station for the Orange County and the IEOC Metrolink lines. The former Santa Fe mainline links the cities of Los Angeles,Riverside, andSan Diego via a junction north of the station.
Law enforcement is provided by the Orange Police Department (OPD), which covers a jurisdictional area of roughly 27 sq mi (70 km2). OPD polices through three divisions; the Field Services Division, which consists of Patrol, Traffic Bureau, Communications Center, Crime Analysis, Bike Unit and H.E.A.R.T (Homeless Education and Resource Team);[91] the Investigative Services Division, which consists of Crimes Against Person, Property and Economic Crimes, Gang Unit and the Special Investigations Unit;[92] and finally the Support Services Division, which consists of Fiscal Affairs, Information Technology, Timekeeping, Personnel and Training, Crime Prevention/Analysis Unit, Volunteer Program, CERT, Facility and Fleet Services.[93] The department also operates aSWAT team.
Fire protection is provided by theOrange City Fire Department which has eight stations across the city, which house seven fire engines, one fire truck, one quintuple combination pumper, and four rescue ambulances.[94] The department is a member of the Metro Cities Fire Authority which provides emergency communications for multiple departments in and around Orange County.[95] The department employs three battalion chiefs, which each manage a team of three shifts of 35 firefighters, each cross trained as anemergency medical technician.[96]
Water in Orange is supplied by the City of Orange Water Division, which sources its water from theMetropolitan Water District of Southern California, which imports water from the Colorado River and the San Francisco-San Joaquin Bay Delta. Groundwater is drawn by 11 municipal wells tapped into the Santa Ana River Aquifer. A small portion of water is purchased from the Serrano Water District.[97]
Sunny (birth name: Susan Soonkyu Lee), a Korean-American singer and entertainer, based in South Korea, who is a member of K-pop girl groupGirls' Generation.[121]
^"SÁNCHEZ, Linda T."Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. RetrievedJuly 12, 2025.
^"Susan Soonkyu Lee".FamilySearch.org.Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. RetrievedDecember 3, 2021.Birthplace: Orange, California, United States(subscription required)
^Levine, Daniel S. (July 4, 2016)."Ginger Zee: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know".Heavy.com. RetrievedApril 25, 2019.Zee, who was born Ginger Renne Zuidgeest in Orange, California ...
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