BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? Orange, CA

C
Score
50/100
Rank #101 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

For remote work, Orange lands closer to the middle of the pack but can shine on median household income alongside broadband subscription. Overall, it’s a mid-pack option in this dataset (#101 of 200). A common tradeoff is typical rent (2br).

Methodology · Sources · CA rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Orange ranks here

  • Broadband subscription: 95% (5% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Median household income: $116,945 (55% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Work-from-home share: 16% (29% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Typical rent (2BR): $2,267/mo (57% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Commute 45+ min share: 14% (27% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
138,723
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 51%Female 49%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$2,267/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
16%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
95%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$116,945
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
40%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
14%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
8/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
95/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
51/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
86/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

12%
Less than HS
48%
HS / Some college
26%
Bachelor’s
14%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

16%
Work from home
84%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

95%
Broadband
5%
No broadband

Map

Open in OpenStreetMap →

Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$2,267/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
95%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
16%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$116,945
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
40%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
14%

Similar cities (by score)

#99 Fontana, CA
51/100
#100 Warren, MI
51/100
#102 Jacksonville, FL
50/100
#103 El Paso, TX
50/100

FAQ

›What is Orange’s remote work score and rank?
Orange, CA scores C (50/100) and ranks #101 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Orange city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Orange, CA?
Population is about 138,723 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Orange, CA?
About 51% male and 49% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in Orange, CA?
Typical rent (2BR) is $2,267/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in Orange, CA?
Work-from-home share is 16% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in Orange, CA?
Broadband subscription is 95% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Orange, CA?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 12%, HS/some college 48%, bachelor’s 26%, advanced 14%.
›Where does this data come from for Orange, CA?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).