Brea, CA

Census place 0608100 · pop 47,469

D−46/ 100
🫤 Rough
C
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Obesity22.3% · top 3%
🚽 Disaster100/100 · bottom 4%
Taxes
0.73% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1004

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$922,3005

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$922,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$2,961/mo8

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,961/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Commute time31 min12

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

31 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Property crime rate2877/100k13

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

2877 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level16 days13

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

16 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level54 AQI14

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

54 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Homeownership59.7%38

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

59.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Violent crime rate225/100k45

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

225 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.7%47

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

3.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Income inequality0.4258

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.42 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Property-tax burden0.73%70

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.73% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Physical inactivity21.1%72

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

21.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poor mental health15.1%77

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

15.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Poverty rate6.6%77

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

6.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Uninsured adults6.9%77

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

6.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Population growth (5yr)+11.2%83

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+11.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Bachelor's degree or higher52.2%84

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

52.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Broadband access95.9%86

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

95.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Median household income$131,12990

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$131,129 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult smoking8.0%92

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

8.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Adult obesity22.3%97

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

22.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Frequently asked

Is Brea, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Brea scores 46/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is natural disaster risk. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Brea, CA?
Brea reports 225 violent crimes per 100k and 2877 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Brea, CA expensive to live in?
Brea has a median home value of $922,300 and typical rent around $2,961/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Brea, CA?
Its weakest measured area is natural disaster risk (100/100) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is Brea, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (22.3%) — 97/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.