What is the median household income in Brea, CA?
The median household income in Brea, CA is $131,129 (±$11,525) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Paying the median gross rent of $2,397 a month would take about $95,900 a year at the common guideline of spending no more than 30% of income on rent.
In Brea, the median household income went from $94,492 in 2015–2019 to $131,129 in 2020–2024 (+38.8%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
Figures last updated on .
- Median household income
- $131,129 (±$11,525)
- Median renter income
- $92,586 (±$13,349)
- Income to afford median rent
- about $95,900
Income in Brea against Orange County, its state and the nation
| Brea | Orange County | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $131,129 (±$11,525) | $116,289 (±$871) | $99,122 (±$310) | $80,734 |
| Median renter household income | $92,586 (±$13,349) | $86,153 (±$1,044) | $71,186 (±$298) | $52,966 |
| Median owner household income | $165,528 (±$14,268) | $149,479 (±$1,604) | $127,456 (±$424) | $100,009 |
| Median gross rent | $2,397 (±$82) | $2,434 (±$13) | $2,036 (±$5) | $1,413 |
In Brea, median household income is higher than in Orange County ($116,289).
It is also higher than in California ($99,122).
It is higher than the national figure ($80,734).
In Orange County, Brea ranks 20 of 42 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median household income.
Statewide, it ranks 224 of 1,069.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How much you need to earn to rent in Brea
Many landlords and housing programs use 30% of gross income as the most a household should spend on rent.
At that guideline, the median gross rent of $2,397 a month ($28,764 a year) needs an income of about $95,900 a year.
The median renting household in Brea earns $92,586 a year, less than that.
This is arithmetic on the published medians, not a rule any landlord must follow; screening criteria vary and some places limit how income may be weighed.
Income against housing costs since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $94,492 (±$4,244) | $131,129 (±$11,525) | +38.8% | Up after inflation |
| Median gross rent | $1,851 (±$54) | $2,397 (±$82) | +29.5% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $660,400 (±$12,624) | $922,300 (±$23,884) | +39.7% | Up after inflation |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Median household income in places near Brea
| Place | Distance | Median household income | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brea | — | $131,129 (±$11,525) | — |
| Placentia | 3.1 mi | $115,929 (±$6,317) | Lower |
| Rowland Heights | 3.4 mi | $85,617 (±$6,641) | Lower |
| Fullerton | 4.5 mi | $104,286 (±$3,310) | Lower |
| La Habra | 5.0 mi | $100,106 (±$6,093) | Lower |
| La Habra Heights | 5.3 mi | $179,583 (±$38,327) | Higher |
| Yorba Linda | 5.9 mi | $157,582 (±$8,394) | Higher |
| Diamond Bar | 5.9 mi | $108,281 (±$6,624) | Lower |
| South San Jose Hills | 6.4 mi | $94,806 (±$9,557) | Lower |
Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Placentia, CA ($115,929), Rowland Heights, CA ($85,617), Fullerton, CA ($104,286).
Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: La Habra Heights, CA ($179,583), Yorba Linda, CA ($157,582).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Median household income across Orange County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Dana Point | $141,520 (±$12,055) |
| 15 | Laguna Niguel | $140,452 (±$6,981) |
| 16 | San Clemente | $140,062 (±$10,984) |
| 17 | Irvine | $136,719 (±$5,709) |
| 18 | Mission Viejo | $136,123 (±$5,839) |
| 19 | Lake Forest | $135,175 (±$4,503) |
| 20 | Brea | $131,129 (±$11,525) |
| 21 | Cypress | $130,215 (±$7,921) |
| 22 | San Juan Capistrano | $129,457 (±$9,965) |
| 23 | Laguna Hills | $128,851 (±$12,193) |
| 24 | Huntington Beach | $120,919 (±$2,965) |
| 25 | La Palma | $117,989 (±$17,295) |
| 26 | Orange | $117,113 (±$4,442) |
Showing 13 of 42 places in Orange County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
What you can do on Seayora in Brea
One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.
Own or manage a rental?
List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for Brea beside you.
Create a landlord account · See what landlords get
Looking for a place to rent?
Browse homes for rent near Brea, save the ones you like and apply online.
Browse rentals · Create a renter account
Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?
Get found by owners and renters near Brea, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.
Questions about Brea
What is the median household income in Brea?
The median household income in Brea is $131,129 (±$11,525) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How much do you need to make to afford rent in Brea?
About $95,900 a year, if rent is to stay at or below 30% of income at the median gross rent of $2,397 a month.
Have incomes in Brea kept up with inflation?
In Brea, the median household income went from $94,492 in 2015–2019 to $131,129 in 2020–2024 (+38.8%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
What do renters earn in Brea?
The median renting household in Brea, CA earns $92,586 (±$13,349) a year.
Sources
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Brea city, California
- Median Household Income by Tenure (B25119), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Brea city, California
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Brea city, California
- Median Household Income (B19013), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Brea city, California
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Brea city, California
- Median Value (B25077), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Brea city, California
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Brea city, California (place:08100, in state:06).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B19013_001E, B19013_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B25077_001E, B25077_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .
Related
- Housing in Brea at a glance
- Median rent in Brea
- Rent by bedrooms in Brea
- Rent burden in Brea
- Renters and owners in Brea
- Home values in Brea
- Homeowner costs in Brea
- Property taxes in Brea
- Types of homes in Brea
- Bedrooms in Brea
- Age of homes in Brea
- Vacancy rate in Brea
- Heating fuel in Brea
- Commute and cars in Brea
- Crime reported to police in Brea
- Population growth in Brea
- How long people stay in Brea
- Crowding and facilities in Brea
- California landlord and tenant rules
- Housing across Orange County
- California places ranked by median household income
- Housing data for every place in California