Orange, California

Orange is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States. It is located about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the county seat, Santa Ana. What makes Orange special is its Old Town District, where many homes were built before 1920. Unlike many other cities in the area that removed older houses in the 1960s, Orange chose to protect these historic homes. The small city of Villa Park is surrounded by Orange. As of the 2020 United States census, Orange had a population of 139,911 people.

History

The Tongva and Juaneño/Luiseño people lived in the area long ago. In 1769, an expedition led by Father Junípero Serra named the place Vallejo de Santa Ana, meaning Valley of Saint Anne. In 1776, Mission San Juan Capistrano became the first permanent European settlement there.

In 1801, the Spanish Empire gave a large piece of land called Rancho San Antonio to José Antonio Yorba. This land included where several cities are today, including Orange. After the Mexican–American War in 1848, Alta California became part of the United States.

In 1873, a small town called Richland was renamed Orange because there was already a place named Richland. The town became an official city on April 6, 1888. It was special because it was built around a plaza and was the first town in Orange County to have a railroad.

Growth started slowly but picked up in the late 1800s because of the demand for citrus fruits. A big real estate boom in the 1950s led to many new homes being built. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the city closed some streets to create space for outdoor seating for businesses.

Geography

Orange, California, covers an area of 25.8 square miles (66.9 km²). Most of this area is land, with just a small part being water.

The weather in Southern California, where Orange is located, stays mild to warm throughout the year. The warmest month is usually August, and the coolest is December. The area gets most of its rain between November and April, with light rain showers and sometimes heavier storms. Snow is rare in the city but falls in the nearby mountains each winter.

Orange has many old buildings, especially in its Old Towne Historic District. This area includes the oldest bank in Orange County and many shops and restaurants. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

Demographics

Orange was first listed as a city in the 1880 United States census.

The 2020 United States census reported that Orange had a population of 139,911. The racial makeup of Orange was 46.5% White, 1.7% African American, 1.3% Native American, 13.1% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 20.7% from other races, and 16.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 41.2% of the population.

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $116,945.

The 2010 United States census reported that Orange had a population of 136,416. The racial makeup of Orange was 67.1% White, 1.6% African American, 0.7% Native American, 11.3% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 15.1% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. There were 38.1% Hispanic or Latino residents.

During 2009–2013, Orange had a median household income of $78,838, with 11.8% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

Crime data showed that Orange was safer than 35% of U.S. cities. In 2020, crime had continually decreased by 10% year after year.

The Uniform Crime Report (UCR), collected annually by the FBI, compiles police statistics from local and state law enforcement agencies across the nation.

Economy

Largest employers

The city has many important jobs and workplaces. The biggest places that employ people in Orange are listed here.

Arts and culture

Points of interest

The Orange International Street Fair happens every year during Labor Day Weekend in Downtown Orange. It started in 1973 and usually attracts around 400,000 visitors.

You can visit the Orange County Zoo in Irvine Regional Park. For shopping, there are places like The Village at Orange and The Outlets at Orange, which is an outdoor area with fun activities such as a skatepark and bowling.

The Woman's Club of Orange, started in 1915, holds a flower show each year. Their clubhouse, built between 1923 and 1924, is very important historically. There is also a old packing house that used to belong to the "Villa Park Orchards Association" along a old train route. It is now used as student housing by Chapman University, but you can still see it today. The Lewis Ainsworth House is a restored house that you can visit as a museum.

Architectural styles in Old Towne Orange

Old Towne Orange has many different building styles, including Bungalow, Craftsman Bungalow, Arts and Crafts Movement, Hip roof cottage, Mediterranean Revival architecture, Prairie Style architecture, Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, and Victorian architecture.

Registered Historic Places

Orange, California, has many special places that have been saved because they are important to the city's history. Some of these places include:

• C Z Culver House
• Cypress Street Schoolhouse
• First Baptist Church of Orange
• Irvine Park
• Lewis Ainsworth House
• Lydia D. Killefer School
• Old Towne Orange Historic District
• Olive Civic Centre
• Orange Intermediate School– Central Grammar School
• Orange Union High School
• Parker House
• Plaza Historic District
• Porter–French House
• St John’s Lutheran Church
• The Plaza

Sports

Orange, California has a history with sports. In 1978 and 1979, a professional soccer team called the California Sunshine played their games there.

People in Orange cheer for big teams like the Los Angeles Angels in baseball and the Anaheim Ducks in ice hockey. In 2026, during an important hockey event called the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Ducks even set up a special shop in Orange. Closer to home, a college baseball team named the SoCal A's played at Athletic (or Richland) Field.

Government

Orange is part of California and is split between different areas for voting. In the California State Senate, some people live in a part represented by Tom Umberg, and others live in a part represented by Steven Choi. In the California State Assembly, some live in a part represented by Phillip Chen, and others by Avelino Valencia.

For the United States House of Representatives, some people in Orange are in a part represented by Young Kim, and others by Lou Correa.

Orange has often been known for having strong opinions that lean toward one side more than others. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won a little more than half the votes, but in 2020, Joe Biden won more votes than before. Even so, Orange still leans a bit more toward one side than the rest of California.

Education

All public schools in the area, except for Santiago Canyon College, are run by the Orange Unified School District. This district looks after about 28,000 students in several cities including Orange, Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and Villa Park, as well as some areas that are not part of any city.

Some of the high schools in the district are Orange High School, Villa Park High School, El Modena High School, and Canyon High School. There are also places like Chapman University and other schools such as the International School of Los Angeles and Eldorado Emerson Private School.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Automobile

Orange is close to Interstate 5, also called the Santa Ana Freeway. The place where I-5 meets two state highways (SR 57, the "Orange Freeway" and SR 22, the "Garden Grove Freeway") is very busy and sits on the southwestern edge of the city. The Costa Mesa Freeway (SR 55) also goes through Orange, ending at SR 22 in the southern part of the city. The eastern parts of Orange are served by the Eastern and Foothill Toll Roads (SR 261 and SR 241), connecting the city to Irvine and Rancho Santa Margarita.

Rail

Orange’s first train service began in 1886 with a horse-drawn streetcar line running between Santa Ana and Orange. Later, steam and gasoline-powered cars were used before the line was electrified. Passenger trains started running in 1914, offering both passenger and freight services for local farmers. The old train station, built in 1938, still stands today and is now used for commuter trains. Metrolink trains stop at Orange’s station, connecting the city to Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, and parts of Northern San Diego County.

Airports

John Wayne Airport (SNA) in nearby Santa Ana offers daily flights for the area.

Emergency services

The Orange Police Department (OPD) keeps the city safe, with officers working in three main groups: patrolling the streets, investigating crimes, and supporting services like training and technology. They also have a special team for difficult situations.

The Orange City Fire Department provides fire safety with eight stations, equipped with fire engines, trucks, and ambulances. They work with other nearby fire departments and have trained firefighters ready to help in emergencies.

Water Services

Orange gets its water from the City of Orange Water Division, which brings water from far away places like the Colorado River and the San Francisco-San Joaquin Bay Delta. The city also uses groundwater from 11 wells and buys a little water from another district.

Notable people

Orange, California has been home to many famous people from different fields. Some well-known individuals include Don Aase, a professional baseball player, and Jeff Buckley, a singer and guitarist. Others include Erica Blasberg, a professional golfer, and Mike Pompeo, who served as the U.S. Secretary of State. The city has also seen athletes like Shane Bieber, a baseball player, and Zach Ertz, a football player, as well as entertainers such as Mikey Day, a comedian and writer for Saturday Night Live.

Sister cities

Orange has five sister cities around the world. These cities work together to build friendships and share culture and ideas. The sister cities of Orange are:

• Novo Kosino, Moscow, Russia
• Orange, New South Wales, Australia
• Orange, Vaucluse, France
• Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
• Timaru, New Zealand

Orange also used to have partnerships with Utrecht in the Netherlands and Santiago in Chile.