Orange is a northern Orange County city that started out as a tiny farming town. Today the city is home to Chapman University and a hub for some of the best antique and vintage shopping in Orange County.
A Brief HistoryThe story goes that Orange was founded by two lawyers, Alfred Chapman and Andrew Glassell, who accepted some 1,385 acres of land from Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana in exchange for legal fees owed. The city started out as a one-mile squared town, and a 10-acre farm. Much of the original town stands how as “Old Towne,” which includes quite a few beautiful historic (100 years or older) buildings and homes and the city center, known as The Plaza and Orange Circle.
Lay of the LandThe heart of the city is The Plaza and Orange Circle, or the intersection of Glassell St. and Chapman Ave. Orange is bordered to the West by the 57 Freeway, to the South by La Veta Ave., and to the North by Lincoln Ave. It includes a planning area of 38 square miles and a total “Sphere of Influence” covering 55 square miles, including 18,500 acres of undeveloped land on its eastern border, owned by The Irvine Company.
Housing and Real EstateThe residential area near the city center is mostly houses and single family housing, or single family homes that have been converted to multi-unit dwellings. Since Chapman University is part of the heart of Old Towne Orange, this is where you’ll find the most affordable multi-family rental housing -- and along with lots of college students vying for it.
Median Rent: $1,429
Median House or Condo Value: $513,100
Much like the city itself, Orange Unified School District has a mixed population of affluent and working class citizens. Since the population is 54 percent white an 36 percent Hispanic, this will also be reflected in the schools. Depending on the neighborhood, schools range from balanced mostly between the two ethnicities, or up to 90 percent one way or the other, with a little diversity here and there. OUSD is academically driven though, with high school graduation rates of 80- to 90-percent.
ShoppingThere are two major shopping centers in Orange: The Block at Orange and The Village. The Block includes Dave & Buster’s and Lucky Strike for night-time fun, an H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue for fashion lovers, an IMAX theater for movie fans and pretty much all the great stuff malls are made of. The Village is where you’ll find a Walmart and Sears. The Orange shopping experience, however, is in its center, where the Orange Circle throngs with restaurants, vintage shops, antique malls, and boutique coffee shops.
Orange by the NumbersPopulation: 146,950
Median Age: 33
Median Income: $76,000