City · 47,469 residents · Orange County, California
Brea, California
In Brea, a typical home is worth $922,300 and typical rent is $2,397 a month. Compared with all of Orange County, typical household income is 13% higher.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $872,039 to $1,116,557.
Typical rent
$2,916a month
▲ 3.3% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $2,413 to $2,916.
From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
Brea is in Orange County. The FHA loan limit ($1,249,125 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Orange County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
Nearby, in Rowland Heights, the typical rent is $1,967: 18% less than in Brea ($2,397).
2
Nearby, in La Habra, the typical home value is $781,600: 15% less than in Brea ($922,300).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in Brea
What homes there are in Brea, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).
What homes there are
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Kind of home
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Brea
Orange County
California
United States
Kind of home: Brea and its comparisons
Measure
Brea
Orange County
California
United States
Detached house
54%
49%
57%
61%
Attached house
11%
13%
7%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
4%
9%
8%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
27%
26%
24%
19%
Mobile home
4%
3%
4%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
0%
Detached houses, standing on their own, make up 54% of homes here, against 49% in Orange County.
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or later
Brea
Orange County
California
United States
Year built: Brea and its comparisons
Measure
Brea
Orange County
California
United States
Before 1960
11%
17%
27%
26%
1960–1979
44%
40%
29%
24%
1980–1999
21%
26%
25%
25%
2000–2009
9%
8%
11%
14%
2010 or later
16%
9%
8%
11%
By age, homes in Brea look like those in Orange County: the typical year built is 1978.
In Brea, 62% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, more than in Orange County (56%).
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Unreliable estimate
Under $100KUnreliable
$100K–$200K4%
$200K–$300KUnreliable
$300K–$500K3%
$500K–$750K13%
$750K–$1M37%
$1M or more39%
Value of owner-occupied homes: Brea and its comparisons
Measure
Brea
Under $100K
Unreliable estimate
$100K–$200K
4%
$200K–$300K
Unreliable estimate
$300K–$500K
3%
$500K–$750K
13%
$750K–$1M
37%
$1M or more
39%
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$999Unreliable
$1,000–$1,4998%
$1,500–$1,99915%
$2,000–$2,49927%
$2,500–$2,99922%
$3,000 or more22%
Monthly rent with utilities: Brea and its comparisons
Measure
Brea
Under $500
Unreliable estimate
$500–$999
Unreliable estimate
$1,000–$1,499
8%
$1,500–$1,999
15%
$2,000–$2,499
27%
$2,500–$2,999
22%
$3,000 or more
22%
With a mortgage
$3,411 a month
Orange County: $3,385 a month
Without a mortgage
$875 a month
Orange County: $902 a month
Owners with a mortgage
69%
Orange County: 67%
Owning costs about the same in Brea as in Orange County: with a mortgage, $3,411 a month; without one, $875.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
Brea+40%
Orange County+42%
California+46%
United States+53%
Typical rent
Brea+30%
Orange County+31%
California+36%
United States+33%
Typical household income
Brea+39%
Orange County+29%
California+32%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Brea and its comparisons
Measure
Brea
Orange County
California
United States
Typical home value
+40%
+42%
+46%
+53%
Typical rent
+30%
+31%
+36%
+33%
Typical household income
+39%
+29%
+32%
+29%
From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, home values in Brea rose at about the same pace as in Orange County: 40% against 42%.
Much as in Orange County, the typical rent in Brea rose 30% since 2015–2019.
The typical household income in Brea rose 39% over that time; home values changed +40% and rent +30%.
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Brea and its comparisons
Measure
Brea
Orange County
California
United States
Rental vacancy
Unreliable estimate
4.4%
4.2%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
0.7%
0.8%
0.9%
More than one person per room
5.2%
8.9%
8.2%
3.4%
People per household
2.82
2.87
2.84
2.53
Drive alone
74%
68%
66%
69%
Carpool
7%
9%
10%
9%
Public transit
Unreliable estimate
1%
3%
3%
Walk or bike
2%
2%
3%
3%
Work from home
15%
19%
17%
15%
Other means
1%
2%
2%
2%
Typical commute
Unreliable estimate
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
Fewer households are short on space in Brea: 5.2% have more than one person per room; in Orange County, 8.9%.
Much as in Orange County, a household in Brea has 2.82 people on average.
In Brea, 74% of workers drive alone to work; in Orange County, 68%.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Brea?
A typical home costs more than the typical income allows
We start with a typical home in Brea, worth $922,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 70% of the typical household income in Brea, which is $131,129 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $327,276 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Orange County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Brea. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $32,281 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$7,636
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$905,594
Total interest
$1,302,938
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $15,575 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $3,060 a month
Tight
$3,060 to $3,934 a month
Hard
more than $3,934 a month
Your payment · 70%
Compared with the typical household income in Brea ($131,129 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$6,135
Property tax
$561
Home insurance
$384
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$556
You need at least $32,281 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.
Total monthly payment $7,636; principal and interest $6,135.
The city and its county
Brea and Orange County
Brea is in Orange County, California. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).
Map of Orange County, California, with Brea marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Orange County
Brea's own numbers
Typical home value
$922,300
Typical monthly rent
$2,397
Typical yearly household income
$131,129
Households that own their home
60%
Effective property tax rate
0.73%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Orange County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$1,249,125
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,249,125
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$3,057
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+54%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.8%
HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.
Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Orange County.
A typical home in Brea is worth $922,300: 4% below the county and 26% above California. With the typical household income in Brea ($131,129 a year), a typical home costs 7.0 times what the household earns in a year.
Years of income to pay for a typical home
The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.
Brea7.0 years
Orange8.3 years
California7.4 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Orange County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Orange County rose 89% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Orange County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Orange County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +6.5% +6.5% 2016
2017: +5.2% +5.2% 2017
2018: +5.2% +5.2% 2018
2019: +2.3% +2.3% 2019
2020: +2.2% +2.2% 2020
2021: +9.9% +9.9% 2021
2022: +16.4% +16.4% 2022
2023: +7.3% +7.3% 2023
2024: +8.3% +8.3% 2024
2025: +3.3% +3.3% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Orange County, California and the United States
Period
County
California
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+3.3%
+0.8%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+54%
+40%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+89%
+80%
+85%
The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data
Brea next to Orange County, California and the U.S.
Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.
Typical home value
Brea$922,300
Orange$962,600
California$734,700
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Brea$2,397
Orange$2,434
California$2,036
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Brea$131,129
Orange$116,289
California$99,122
United States$80,734
See the full table
Brea next to Orange County and California
Measure
Brea
Orange County
California
U.S.
Typical home value
$922,300 ▼4% below the county
$962,600
$734,700
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$2,397
$2,434
$2,036
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$131,129 ▲13% above the county
$116,289
$99,122
$80,734
Households that own their home
60% ▲3 points above the county
56%
56%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$6,740 ▲6% above the county
$6,330
$5,124
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
0.73% ▲0.07 points above the county
0.66%
0.7%
0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income
53% ▼3 points below the county
57%
55%
51%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Orange County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Brea
For a typical $922,300 home in Brea, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Brea's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$7,636a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$32,281
Cash to close
$59,950
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $556
Conventional, 5% down$7,319a month
Down payment
$46,115
Cash to close
$73,784
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $438
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$5,944a month
Down payment
$184,460
Cash to close
$212,129
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$6,796a month
Down payment
$138,345
Cash to close
$166,014
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Brea
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$7,636
$32,281
$905,595
7.18%
FHA MIP · $556
$59,950
580
Conventional, 5% down
$7,319
$46,115
$876,185
7.18%
PMI · $438
$73,784
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$5,944
$184,460
$737,840
7.18%
None
$212,129
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$6,796
$138,345
$783,955
8.18%
None
$166,014
Set by the lender
The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.
Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.
Typical rent in Brea is $2,397 a month: about the same as the county. In Brea, 53% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Orange County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($3,057 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $58.79 an hour working full time.
What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.
HUD fair market rent in Orange County (Fiscal year 2027)
Size
Fair rent a month
Hourly wage
Yearly income
Studio
$2,580
$49.62
$103,200
1 bedroom
$2,610
$50.19
$104,400
2 bedrooms
$3,057
$58.79
$122,280
3 bedrooms
$4,153
$79.87
$166,120
4 bedrooms
$4,964
$95.46
$198,560
Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027
By ZIP code
Fair market rent by ZIP code in Brea
HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Brea has 2 ZIP codes with their own.
For 2 bedrooms it runs from $3,210 in 92821 to $4,380 in 92823.
2 of the 2 are above the fair market rent for Orange County ($3,057).
Fair market rent by ZIP code and size in Brea, fiscal year 2027.
92821
$2,710
$2,740
$3,210
$4,360
$5,210
92823
$3,700
$3,740
$4,380
$5,950
$7,110
ZIP code2 bd3 bd
92821 $3,210$4,360
92823 $4,380$5,950
2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Brea when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD)Fiscal year 2027Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship fileData from 2020 dataCensus Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (external site)
You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.
There are 10 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Orange County; 6 say they serve in Spanish.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Brea or Orange County. The ones below are statewide in California: they work in Brea the same as in the rest of the state.
CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers in California.Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).
CalHFA down payment loan for first-generation buyers in California; when you sell, you repay the loan plus a share of the home's appreciation.Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).
CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers who use the CalPLUS Access mortgage (FHA or conventional).Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).
No legal help resource on our list is for Brea or Orange County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Brea and all of Orange County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.
How much does a typical home cost in Brea?
The typical home value in Brea is $922,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Orange County it is $962,600.
How much does it cost to rent in Brea?
Typical rent in Brea is $2,397 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Orange County is $3,057.
What is the FHA loan limit in Brea?
Brea uses the FHA limit for all of Orange County (2026): $1,249,125 for a one-unit home and $2,402,625 for a four-unit home.
How much property tax do owners pay in Brea?
The typical homeowner in Brea pays $6,740 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.73% of the home’s value; in Orange County, the rate is 0.66%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Brea?
There are 10 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Orange County. 6 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
