How we ranked the best places to live in Orange County
"Best" means something different to every buyer, so we used a measure anyone can check: how much buyers are willing to pay to live in a city, and how hard they compete for the homes that come up. Both come from Redfin's city figures for the three months ending September 2026, taken from the Redfin Data Center.
We scored every Orange County city or community in that feed with at least 45 home sales in the three months and at least 15,000 residents. That left 33 places. Each place got two scores out of 100, then we averaged them:
- Location premium (half the score): the median sale price per square foot, ranked against the other 33 places. Price per square foot strips out home size, so it shows what buyers pay for the location itself: the commute, the coast, the schools they want and the streets they like.
- Buyer competition (half the score): the average of three ranks: the sale-to-list price ratio, the median days on market (fewer is better) and the share of homes that went under contract within two weeks.
The result rewards places where buyers pay a lot and still fight for homes. A city can score well with modest prices if homes sell fast and above list, which is why some inland cities sit above famous coastal ones. We did not score schools, crime or "lifestyle", because those either need official data that changes by address or are a matter of taste. The sections below show where to check them. Redfin's median sale price and Zillow's typical home value are different measures; where we quote both for one city, we label each and never compare one with the other.
For scale, Redfin's median sale price for all of Orange County was $1,207,298 in September 2026 (+0.6% on a year earlier), with homes taking a median of 47 days to sell. Zillow's typical home value for the county was $1,174,873 in September 2026, +3.2% over the year.
The top 15 Orange County cities, ranked
Figures are Redfin rolling three-month figures to September 2026. "Change" compares the median sale price with the same period a year earlier.
| Rank | City | Score | Median sale price | Change, 1 year | Price per sq ft | Median days on market | Sale-to-list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fountain Valley | 86 | $1,409,329 | -3.1% | $700 | 27 | 101.5% |
| 2 | San Clemente | 78 | $1,799,143 | +4.0% | $810 | 34 | 98.6% |
| 3 | Costa Mesa | 75 | $1,549,262 | +3.8% | $855 | 39 | 98.9% |
| 4 | North Tustin | 71 | $1,824,131 | +7.3% | $733 | 42 | 99.5% |
| 5 | Garden Grove | 69 | $1,009,519 | +0.9% | $638 | 32 | 100.9% |
| 6 | Westminster | 68 | $1,186,435 | +9.3% | $648 | 36 | 100.1% |
| 7 | Huntington Beach | 65 | $1,399,334 | +5.3% | $791 | 43 | 98.9% |
| 8 | Orange | 61 | $1,164,945 | +1.7% | $641 | 38 | 99.4% |
| 9 | Dana Point | 59 | $2,099,000 | +16.6% | $1,096 | 47 | 98.3% |
| 10 | Fullerton | 56 | $1,049,500 | +4.7% | $630 | 40 | 100.4% |
| 11 | Ladera Ranch | 56 | $1,448,810 | +16.8% | $657 | 41 | 99.9% |
| 12 | Laguna Hills | 55 | $1,343,110 | +11.5% | $677 | 40 | 98.7% |
| 13 | Laguna Niguel | 54 | $1,370,847 | -5.5% | $719 | 45 | 98.7% |
| 14 | Placentia | 54 | $1,099,476 | +6.0% | $621 | 37 | 99.9% |
| 15 | Newport Beach | 53 | $3,848,167 | +13.2% | $1,642 | 65 | 96.9% |
The other 18 places we scored, from 16th down, were: Brea (53), Mission Viejo (52), Aliso Viejo (51), San Juan Capistrano (51), Laguna Beach (50), Buena Park (47), Rancho Santa Margarita (46), Irvine (45), Tustin (42), Anaheim (38), La Habra (36), Cypress (36), Santa Ana (32), Yorba Linda (32), Lake Forest (28), Coto de Caza (22), Seal Beach (12), Laguna Woods (7).
The 15 best places to live in Orange County, one by one
1. Fountain Valley: the fastest market in the county
Fountain Valley scored 86, the top mark, because no city in our set beat it on competition. The median home sold in 27 days, at 101.5% of list price, and 54% of homes went under contract inside two weeks. Redfin's median sale price was $1,409,329, -3.1% on a year earlier, at $700 a square foot.
The city covers about 9 square miles between Huntington Beach, Westminster, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Costa Mesa, with the San Diego Freeway (I-405) cutting across it diagonally and the Santa Ana River on its eastern edge. Mile Square Regional Park, 640 acres with two lakes and two 18-hole golf courses, sits inside the city. In ZIP 92708, the Census Bureau puts median household income at $115,237 and median gross rent at $2,631, and 65% of homes are owner-occupied.
2. San Clemente: coastal prices with quick sales
San Clemente scored 78. Its median sale price of $1,799,143 (+4.0%) and $810 per square foot put it near the top on location premium, and homes still moved in a median of 34 days, with 48% under contract within two weeks.
This is the county's southernmost coastal city, bordered by Camp Pendleton and the Trestles surf area to the south and the Cleveland National Forest to the east. The city calls itself the "Spanish Village by the Sea" for its Spanish Colonial Revival buildings. It has two rail stations served by Metrolink and Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner, which matters if you commute north. Public schools are run by Capistrano Unified. Census median household income was $111,989 in 92672 and $182,178 in 92673.
3. Costa Mesa: the highest price per square foot outside the luxury coast
Buyers paid $855 a square foot in Costa Mesa, more than anywhere on this list except Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Dana Point. The median sale price was $1,549,262, +3.8% over the year, and homes sold in a median of 39 days. Score: 75.
Costa Mesa is a commercial center as much as a suburb. South Coast Plaza, with more than 270 stores, anchors the north end of the city, and Orange Coast College and Vanguard University are here. Two state routes, the 55 and the 73, end inside the city, and I-405 runs through it. The southern edge is about a mile from the ocean. Renters are a large group: in ZIPs 92626 and 92627, only 40% of occupied homes are owner-occupied, so expect more apartments and fewer single-family listings than the price level suggests.
4. North Tustin: unincorporated foothill streets
North Tustin scored 71 on 72 sales. The median sale price was $1,824,131, +7.3% on a year earlier, with 99.5% of list price paid on average and a median of 42 days on market.
It is not a city. North Tustin is the largest unincorporated community in Orange County, a census-designated place of about 6.6 square miles between the city of Tustin and the city of Orange. It was called Tustin Foothills until 2005 and uses ZIP codes 92705 and 92780. Most of it is served by Tustin Unified, with some northern neighborhoods in Orange Unified, so check the district for any address. In ZIP 92705, Census median household income is $129,331.
5. Garden Grove: the strongest bidding among mid-priced cities
Garden Grove is the highest-ranked city here with a median sale price near $1 million: $1,009,519, +0.9% over the year. It scored 69 mainly on competition. Homes sold for 100.9% of list on average, 49% sold above list, and the median time to sell was 32 days.
The city stretches across northern Orange County along State Route 22, the Garden Grove Freeway, with West Garden Grove west of Beach Boulevard. It has two city-owned stage venues, the Gem Theater and the Festival Amphitheater. Zillow's typical home value for Garden Grove was $1,001,908 in September 2026 (+4.8% over the year), and Zillow's observed rent was $2,703 a month. More in our Garden Grove guide.
6. Westminster: prices up sharply in a year
Westminster's median sale price rose +9.3% to $1,186,435, more than any other city in the top eight. Homes sold in a median of 36 days at 100.1% of list. Score: 68.
Westminster is a 10-square-mile city between Seal Beach, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley. I-405 and a short stretch of SR 22 cross it, and Beach Boulevard (SR 39) runs south to the coast. Four school districts cover parts of the city, so the district depends on the street. ZIP 92683 has a Census median household income of $85,585 and median rent of $2,170, among the lower figures in this ranking.
7. Huntington Beach: the busiest market in the top ten
Huntington Beach recorded 418 sales in the three months, more than any other city in the top ten, so its figures are among the most reliable here. The median sale price was $1,399,334 (+5.3%), at $791 a square foot, and the median home took 43 days to sell. Score: 65.
The city has a 10-mile beachfront bike path, Huntington State Beach and Bolsa Chica State Beach, and boating in Huntington Harbour. It also sits on an oil field and has a large Boeing site, both useful to know when you look at a specific street. Zillow's typical home value was $1,344,725, +5.6% over the year, and Zillow's observed rent was $3,105. See our Huntington Beach guide and Huntington Beach cost of living.
8. Orange: older homes and steady demand
The city of Orange scored 61. Its median sale price was $1,164,945, +1.7% over the year, at $641 a square foot, with homes selling in a median of 38 days and 35% going above list.
Orange stands out for its housing stock. Many homes in the Old Town district were built before 1920, and the city chose to keep them when other cities in the region cleared similar houses in the 1960s. The small city of Villa Park is surrounded by Orange. Orange Unified serves about 28,000 students across Orange and parts of several neighboring cities. Across the five ZIPs in our data, Census median household income runs from $79,886 to $138,204.
9. Dana Point: a harbor town with fast-rising prices
Dana Point's median sale price climbed +16.6% to $2,099,000, and buyers paid $1,096 a square foot. That location premium carried the score to 59, even though homes took a median of 47 days to sell and only 29% went above list.
Dana Point has one of the few harbors on the Orange County coast. It holds the Festival of Whales every March, a tradition since 1972, and a Tall Ships Festival in September. Schools are in Capistrano Unified. Zillow's typical home value was $1,773,166 (+6.8%), a different measure that moved less than Redfin's median, and Zillow's observed rent was $4,323 a month. Read our Dana Point guide.
10. Fullerton: parks, a university and competitive bidding
Fullerton scored 56, with a median sale price of $1,049,500 (+4.7%) and 42% of homes selling above list. Its price per square foot, $630, is the lowest in the top ten, which makes it one of the better-value entries on this list.
The city is about 25 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. It has more than 50 city parks, the 26-acre Fullerton Arboretum, and around 200 acres of recreation land at the Brea Dam area, with trails, two golf courses and a swim complex. Cal State Fullerton is in the city. Census median household income ranges from $89,278 to $143,817 across the four Fullerton ZIPs in our data.
11. Ladera Ranch: a master-planned community
Ladera Ranch had 51 sales, just over our cut-off, at a median of $1,448,810, up +16.8% on a year earlier. Homes sold for 99.9% of list on average. Score: 56.
Ladera Ranch is an unincorporated master-planned community in the Saddleback foothills, just outside Mission Viejo. Its ZIP, 92694, has one of the highest Census median household incomes in this ranking, $189,966, and 75% of homes are owner-occupied. Newer planned communities in south county often carry HOA dues and Mello-Roos special taxes on top of the base property tax, so ask for both on any listing. Our Mello-Roos guide explains how to look them up.
12. Laguna Hills: smaller city, double-digit gains
Laguna Hills' median sale price rose +11.5% to $1,343,110, at $677 a square foot, on 75 sales. The median home sold in 40 days. Score: 55.
The city covers 6.7 square miles along I-5. The former Laguna Hills Mall, closed in 2018, is slated for redevelopment as the Five Lagunas mixed-use project, so check the city's planning pages for timing if you are looking nearby. Schools are in Saddleback Valley Unified, and Laguna Hills High School has under 1,700 students. ZIP 92653 has a Census median household income of $133,194.
13. Laguna Niguel: hillside neighborhoods near the coast
Laguna Niguel scored 54. Redfin's median sale price was $1,370,847, down 5.5% on a year earlier, while Zillow's typical home value, which tracks all homes rather than those that sold, rose +5.0% to $1,493,093. When the two disagree like this, the mix of homes that sold usually explains it, so look at price per square foot ($719).
The city sits in the San Joaquin Hills at an average elevation of about 400 feet, rising to 936 feet at Niguel Hill. Neighborhoods include Bear Brand Ranch, Marina Hills, Monarch Point and Rancho Niguel. Most residents commute to central Orange County. Capistrano Unified runs the schools. See our Laguna Niguel guide.
14. Placentia: lower price per square foot, quick sales
Placentia scored 54 with one of the lowest prices per square foot in the top 15, $621, and strong competition: 44% of homes went under contract within two weeks and the median sold in 37 days. The median sale price was $1,099,476, +6.0%.
The Orange Freeway (SR 57) runs through the southwest of the city and SR 91 passes just south. The George Key Ranch Historic Park keeps a Victorian ranch house and citrus grove. A Metrolink line crosses the south of the city, and Placentia has been planning a station in Old Town. ZIP 92870 has a Census median household income of $115,929.
15. Newport Beach: the highest location premium
Newport Beach had the highest price per square foot in the county, $1,642, and a median sale price of $3,848,167, up +13.2%. It ranks 15th, not first, because buyers there take their time: the median home took 65 days to sell and went for 96.9% of list.
The city wraps around a recreational harbor, with Balboa Island, the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve and Crystal Cove State Park. Fashion Island is the main shopping center, and Pacific Life is headquartered here. Zillow's typical home value was $3,710,827 (+10.1%). See our Newport Beach guide and Newport Beach cost of living.
Well-known cities that ranked lower, and why
Some of the county's best-known cities fell outside the top 15. That reflects how their markets behaved in mid-2026, not a judgment of the city.
Irvine: ranked 23 of 33
Irvine had the most sales in the county, 556, and a high price per square foot ($773). Its competition score was low: the median home took 61 days to sell, went for 97.5% of list, and only 22% went under contract within two weeks. Redfin's median sale price fell 6.5% to $1,449,310, and Zillow's typical home value fell 1.9% to $1,481,490. For a buyer, that means more choice and more room to negotiate. Irvine is a planned city developed by the Irvine Company from the 1960s and had about 318,600 residents in 2025. See our Irvine guide.
Laguna Beach: ranked 20 of 33
Laguna Beach buyers paid $1,600 a square foot, second only to Newport Beach, at a median of $3,285,935. But the median listing sat 71 days, the longest in our set, and sold for 96.1% of list. The top of the market moves slowly everywhere. Read our Laguna Beach guide.
Brea: ranked 16 of 33
Brea just missed the top 15. Its competition score was among the highest in the county, with homes selling in 32 days at 101.3% of list and 52% above list. Its price per square foot, $596, was one of the lowest of the 33 places, which held the score back. If you want fast-selling north county homes at a lower price per square foot, Brea belongs on your list.
How to choose where to live in Orange County
The ranking tells you where buyers compete. These checks tell you whether a place fits you.
Commute: north county vs south county
North county cities such as Fullerton, Placentia and Garden Grove are closer to Los Angeles County jobs, while south county places such as Ladera Ranch and Laguna Niguel are closer to Irvine and the coast. Time the drive at rush hour before you choose, and check rail options: San Clemente and Placentia both sit on Metrolink lines.
Property tax and Mello-Roos in Orange County
Your tax bill starts at 1% of the purchase price plus local voter-approved levies, and newer communities can add Mello-Roos special taxes. The exact rate depends on the tax rate area. Our Orange County property tax guide shows the rates and a worked bill.
Insurance and wildfire zones in the foothill cities
Coastal-canyon and foothill neighborhoods, from Laguna Beach to North Tustin and the Saddleback foothills, can fall in CAL FIRE hazard zones, which affects insurance. Get a quote before you write an offer. See our wildfire zones guide and homeowners insurance guide.
Schools: check the address, not the city
Several cities on this list are split between school districts: Westminster has four, and North Tustin is split between Tustin Unified and Orange Unified. Look up each school on the California School Dashboard, then confirm the assigned school with the district's own address lookup. A listing's school claim is not a guarantee.
What a median-priced home costs each month
At Redfin's September 2026 county median of $1,207,298, a 20% down payment and the Freddie Mac 30-year average of 7.24% (week of October 29, 2026), principal and interest come to about $6,582 a month, before property tax, insurance and HOA dues. In Placentia, at $1,099,476, the same math gives about $5,994. Our Orange County cost of living guide covers the rest of the budget.