Alameda County vs Orange County
A side-by-side comparison of Alameda County and Orange County: population, income, housing, and more.
Alameda County and Orange County are counties in California. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Orange County has the higher population (3,164,063 vs 1,651,949 in Alameda County). Alameda County has the higher median household income ($126,240 vs $113,702 in Orange County). Alameda County has the higher median home value ($1,057,400 vs $915,500 in Orange County).
Population, income & housing
| Alameda County | Orange County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,651,949 | 3,164,063 |
| Median age | 38.7 yrs | 39.1 yrs |
| Median household income | $126,240 | $113,702 |
| Median home value | $1,057,400 | $915,500 |
| Median gross rent | $2,318 | $2,352 |
| Housing units | 630,726 | 1,138,473 |
| Homeownership rate | 54.1% | 56.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.5% | 43.4% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.3% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Alameda County | Orange County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,656,754 → 1,651,949 (-0.3%) | 3,168,044 → 3,164,063 (-0.1%) |
| Median household income | $99,406 → $126,240 (+27.0%) | $90,234 → $113,702 (+26.0%) |
| Median home value | $769,300 → $1,057,400 (+37.4%) | $679,300 → $915,500 (+34.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,797 → $2,318 (+29.0%) | $1,854 → $2,352 (+26.9%) |
Alameda County
1,656,7541,651,949
$99,406$126,240
$769,300$1,057,400
$1,797$2,318
Orange County
3,168,0443,164,063
$90,234$113,702
$679,300$915,500
$1,854$2,352
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Alameda County | Orange County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.7% | 15.9% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.9% | 9.0% |
| 25 to 34 | 15.8% | 14.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.7% | 13.1% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.4% | 13.5% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.2% | 13.1% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 75 and over | 6.1% | 6.7% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Alameda County | Orange County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 28.2% | 37.7% |
| Black or African American | 9.6% | 1.5% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 32.0% | 21.7% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 5.3% | 4.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 23.3% | 34.1% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Alameda County | Orange County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 11.1% | 13.1% |
| High school graduate | 15.9% | 17.2% |
| Some college or associate's | 21.6% | 26.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 28.7% | 27.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 22.8% | 16.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Alameda County | Orange County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 53.6% | 69.4% |
| Carpooled | 8.1% | 9.0% |
| Public transit | 9.2% | 1.2% |
| Walked | 2.7% | 1.8% |
| Bicycle | 1.3% | 0.5% |
| Worked from home | 23.2% | 16.6% |
| Other means | 1.7% | 1.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Alameda County | Orange County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 51.4% | 49.5% |
| 1-unit, attached | 8.6% | 12.8% |
| 2 to 4 units | 10.1% | 8.7% |
| 5 to 19 units | 10.2% | 10.8% |
| 20 or more units | 18.4% | 15.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.3% | 2.7% |
Poverty & households
| Alameda County | Orange County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 9.5% |
| Average household size | 2.73 | 2.90 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 32 | 27 |
| Median year structure built | 1969 | 1977 |
Full profiles
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