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Brea, California

{{Short description|City in California, United States}}

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Brea, California

| settlement_type = City

| nickname =

| image_skyline = Brea-downtown restaurant art.jpg

| image_caption = Market City Cafe in Brea downtown

| image_flag = Flag of Brea, California.gif

| image_seal = Seal of Brea, California.png

| image_blank_emblem = Logo of Brea, California.jpg

| blank_emblem_type = Logo

| image_map = Orange County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Brea Highlighted 0608100.svg

| mapsize = 250x200px

| map_caption = Location of Brea in Orange County, California.

| image_map1 =

| mapsize1 =

| map_caption1 =

| pushpin_map = California#USA#North America

| pushpin_relief = 1

| pushpin_mapsize = 290px

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in California##Location within the United States##Location within North America

| pushpin_label = Brea

| pushpin_label_position = right

| coordinates = {{coord|33|55|24|N|117|53|20|W|region:US-CA|display=inline, title}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{Flagu|United States}}

| subdivision_type1 = State

| subdivision_name1 = {{Flag|California}}

| subdivision_type2 = County

| subdivision_name2 = Orange

| government_type = Council-Manager

| leader_title1 = Mayor

| leader_name1 = Christine Marick

| leader_title2 = City Council{{Cite web |url=https://cityofbrea.net/index.aspx?NID=511 |title=City Council |publisher=Brea, CA |access-date=June 3, 2019}}

| leader_name2 = Blair Stewart
Cecilia Hupp
Marty Simonoff
Steven Vargas

| leader_title3 = City treasurer

| leader_name3 = Rick Rios {{Cite web |url=https://cityofbrea.net/Index.aspx?NID=799 |title=City Treasurer |publisher=Brea, CA |access-date=February 8, 2015}}

| leader_title4 = City manager

| leader_name4 = Bill Gallardo{{Cite web |url=https://ci.brea.ca.us/Index.aspx?NID=118 |title=City Manager's Office |publisher=Brea, CA |access-date=June 3, 2019}}

| established_title = Incorporated

| established_date = February 23, 1917{{Cite web |url=https://calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc |title=California Cities by Incorporation Date |format=Word |publisher=California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions |access-date=August 25, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc |archive-date=November 3, 2014 }}

| unit_pref = Imperial

| area_footnotes = {{cite web |title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_06.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=October 30, 2021}}

| area_total_sq_mi = 12.21

| area_land_sq_mi = 12.17

| area_water_sq_mi = 0.04

| area_total_km2 = 31.61

| area_land_km2 = 31.51

| area_water_km2 = 0.10

| area_water_percent = 0.26

| area_note =

| elevation_footnotes = {{Cite GNIS|1660373|Brea |access-date=April 13, 2015}}

| elevation_ft = 361

| elevation_m = 110

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_footnotes =

| population_total = 47325

| pop_est_as_of =

| pop_est_footnotes =

| population_est =

| population_density_km2 = 1501.72

| timezone = PST

| utc_offset = −8

| timezone_DST = PDT

| utc_offset_DST = −7

| postal_code_type = ZIP codes

| postal_code = 92821–92823

| area_code_type = Area codes

| area_code = 657/714, 562

| blank_name = FIPS code

| blank_info = {{FIPS|06|08100}}

| blank1_name = GNIS feature IDs

| blank1_info = {{GNIS 4|1660373}}, {{GNIS 4|2409897}}

| website = [https://www.cityofbrea.gov/ cityofbrea.gov]

| population_density_sq_mi = 3889.30

| named_for = Spanish for "natural asphalt" or "tar"

}}

Brea ({{IPAc-en|'|b|r|eɪ|ə}};{{cite book |last=Gudde|first=Erwin G. |year=1998 |title=California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names |url=https://archive.org/details/californiaplacen00gudd |url-access=registration |edition=4th |publisher=University of California Press |page=[https://archive.org/details/californiaplacen00gudd/page/46 46] |isbn=978-0-520-26619-3}} {{langnf|es||tar}}) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States. The population as of the 2020 census was 47,325. It is {{convert|33|mi|km}} southeast of Los Angeles. Brea is part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

The city began as a center of crude oil production and was later propelled by citrus production. It is a significant retail center, including the Carbon Canyon Dam, Carbon Canyon Regional Park, Brea Mall and downtown Brea. The city has an extensive public art program that began in 1975 and has over 140 artworks placed throughout the city.{{Cite book |last=Epting |first=Chris |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/310982718 |title=Vanishing Orange County |date=2008 |publisher=Arcadia Pub |isbn=978-0-7385-5974-2 |location=Charleston, SC |pages=95 |oclc=310982718}}

History

= Indigenous =

The area began as part of the homelands of the Tongva, who lived in the area for thousands of years before any contact was made with Europeans.{{Cite web |date=2017 |title=A Condensed History |url=https://www.ci.brea.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/3329/Brea-Condensed-History?bidId= |website=City of Brea}} The Tongva established extensive routes for travel and trade between Tongva villages as well as with neighboring Indigenous nations. The closest known village site to the city of Brea today is Hutuknga.{{Cite book |last1=Koerper |first1=Henry |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/745176510 |title=Catalysts to complexity : late Holocene societies of the California coast |last2=Mason |first2=Roger |last3=Peterson |first3=Mark |date=2002 |publisher=Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA |others=Jon Erlandson, Terry L. Jones, Jeanne E. Arnold, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA |isbn=978-1-938770-67-8 |location=Los Angeles |pages=64–66, 79 |oclc=745176510}}

= Spanish era =

The area was visited on July 29, 1769, by the Spanish Portolá expedition, the first Europeans to see inland parts of Alta California. The party camped in Brea Canyon, near a large native village and a small pool of clean water.{{cite book |last=Bolton |first=Herbert E. |pages=142–143 |year=1927 |title=Fray Juan Crespi: Missionary Explorer on the Pacific Coast, 1769-1774 |url=http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000288788 |publisher=HathiTrust Digital Library}}

Image:Brea-oilfields1900s.jpg of the Brea area, early 1900s]]

The village of Olinda was founded in present-day Carbon Canyon at the beginning of the 19th century. Many entrepreneurs came to the area searching for "black gold" (petroleum).

= Mexican era =

The majority of the current city borders of Brea were within the Rancho San Juan Cajon de Santa Ana.{{Cite web |title=Spanish and Mexican Ranchos of Orange County |url=http://egov.ocgov.com/vgnfiles/ocgov/Clerk-Recorder/Docs/Archives/Spanish_and_Mexican_Ranchos.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726003947/http://egov.ocgov.com/vgnfiles/ocgov/Clerk-Recorder/Docs/Archives/Spanish_and_Mexican_Ranchos.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-26 |access-date=May 14, 2025 |website=Wayback Machine}} [http://egov.ocgov.com/vgnfiles/ocgov/Clerk-Recorder/Docs/Archives/Spanish_and_Mexican_Ranchos.pdf Alt URL] The cessation of territory to the United States in 1848 ushered in a new era of decline for the ranchos as rigorous title-proving processes enacted in 1851 and drought in 1860 caused most owners to sell their land. {{Cite journal |last=Guinn |first=J. M. |date=1915 |title=The Passing of the Rancho |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41168911?searchText=california+ranchos&searchUri=/action/doBasicSearch?Query=california+ranchos&so=rel&ab_segments=0/basic_search_gsv2/control&refreqid=fastly-default:d296de09a4b5e8bb8eb0b6ccec0d2078&seq=1 |journal=Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California |volume=10 |issue=1/2 |pages=46–53 |doi=10.2307/41168911 |issn=2162-9145|url-access=subscription }}

= American era =

The 1880s saw the development of agriculture in northern Orange County, particularly in the form of Valencia Oranges after it was found that the crop grew better in the cool foothills.{{Cite book |last=Lewinnek |first=Elaine |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv2j6xf5f?turn_away=true&searchText=&searchUri=&ab_segments=&searchKey=&refreqid=fastly-default:4a39fd6fe4763afc8976cda39dd6d7f0&initiator=recommender&seq=16 |title=A People's Guide to Orange County |last2=Arellano |first2=Gustavo |last3=Vo Dang |first3=Thuy |date=2022 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-29995-5 |edition=1 |volume=4}} Additionally, the construction of the Santa Fe Railroad as well as the discovery of oil in the area created an environment that kept winter frost from damaging the plant.{{Cite book |last=Armor |first=Samuel |url=https://archive.org/details/historyoforangec00armo/page/n14/mode/1up?q=brea |title=History of Orange County, California : with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its earliest growth and development from the early days to the present |last2=Pleasants |first2=J. E. |date=1921 |publisher=Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. |others=Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center}} Nearby oil fields provided supply for a process called "smudging", subsequently causing a grimy fog to settle over the area which reportedly caused health issues for the workers.

In 1894, the owner of the land, Abel Stearns, sold {{convert|1200|acre|km2}} west of Olinda to the newly created Union Oil Company of California, and by 1898 many nearby hills began sporting wooden oil drilling towers on the newly discovered Brea-Olinda Oil Field. In 1908 the village of Randolph, named for railway engineer Epes Randolph, was founded just south of Brea Canyon for oil workers and their families. Baseball legend Walter Johnson grew up in Olinda at the start of the 20th century, working in the surrounding oil fields.{{cite news |last=Dufresne |first=Chris |title=The year the Big Train stopped in Brea, and brought the Babe |work=Los Angeles Times |date=June 2, 2008 |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/orange/la-sp-breababe2-2008jun02,0,3088387.story?page=2 |access-date=June 2, 2008}}

File:Brea City Hall, 1940s (51133288327) (cropped).jpg-style former Brea City Hall in the 1940s.]]

Olinda and Randolph grew and merged as the economy boomed. On January 19, 1911, the town's map was filed under the new name of Brea, from the Spanish language word for natural asphalt, also called bitumen, pitch, or tar. With a population of 752, Brea was incorporated on February 23, 1917, as the eighth official city of Orange County.

As oil production declined, some agricultural development took place, especially lemon and orange groves. In the 1920s, the Brea Chamber of Commerce promoted the city with the slogan “Oil, Oranges, and Opportunity.”{{cite web|title=Brea Chamber History|publisher=Brea Chamber of Commerce|url=http://www.breachamber.com/pages/BreaChamberHistory|access-date=September 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914031201/http://www.breachamber.com/pages/BreaChamberHistory|archive-date=September 14, 2016|url-status=dead}}

In 1950, Brea had a population of 3,208, 641 more than ten years earlier. The citrus groves gave way gradually to industrial parks and residential development. In 1956, Carl N. Karcher opened the first two Carl's Jr. restaurants in Anaheim and Brea. The opening of the Orange Freeway (57) and the Brea Mall in the 1970s spurred further residential growth, including large planned developments east of the 57 Freeway in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.

In the late 1990s, a {{convert|50|acre|m2|adj=on}} swath of downtown Brea centered on Brea Boulevard and Birch Street was redeveloped into a shopping and entertainment area with movie theaters, sidewalk cafes, a live comedy club from The Improv chain, numerous shops and restaurants, and a weekly farmer's market. It is locally known and signed as Downtown Brea. The downtown area opened in 2000.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of {{convert|12.1|sqmi|km2}}. {{convert|12.1|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and 0.26% is water.

It is bordered by unincorporated Orange County and Los Angeles County to the north and east, La Habra to the west, Fullerton to the southwest, Placentia to the south, Chino Hills to the northwest, and Yorba Linda to the southeast.

= Climate =

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Brea has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps.{{cite web |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=650141&cityname=Brea-California-United-States-of-America |title=Brea, California Travel Weather Averages (Weatherbase) |work=Weatherbase |access-date=August 13, 2016}}

{{Weather box

| location = Brea, California

| single line = Yes

| metric first = Yes

| Jan high F = 69

| Feb high F = 70

| Mar high F = 72

| Apr high F = 74

| May high F = 76

| Jun high F = 80

| Jul high F = 85

| Aug high F = 86

| Sep high F = 86

| Oct high F = 81

| Nov high F = 75

| Dec high F = 69

| Jan low F = 47

| Feb low F = 48

| Mar low F = 50

| Apr low F = 52

| May low F = 57

| Jun low F = 60

| Jul low F = 64

| Aug low F = 64

| Sep low F = 62

| Oct low F = 57

| Nov low F = 51

| Dec low F = 46

| Jan precipitation inch = 2.5

| Feb precipitation inch = 3.1

| Mar precipitation inch = 2.7

| Apr precipitation inch = 1.1

| May precipitation inch = 0.2

| Jun precipitation inch = 0

| Jul precipitation inch = 0

| Aug precipitation inch = 0.4

| Sep precipitation inch = 0.3

| Oct precipitation inch = 0.3

| Nov precipitation inch = 1.2

| Dec precipitation inch = 2.4

| date = March 2019

| source =

}}

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1920= 1037

|1930= 2435

|1940= 2567

|1950= 3208

|1960= 8487

|1970= 18447

|1980= 27913

|1990= 32873

|2000= 35410

|2010= 39282

|2020= 47325

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref=

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=United States Census Bureau|access-date=}}
1860–1870{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-12.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1880-1890{{Cite web|title= 1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1890/bulletins/demographics/134-population-of-ca.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1900{{Cite web|title= 1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/10-population-ca.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1910{{Cite web|title= 1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ca.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1920{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-ca-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1930{{Cite web|title= 1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch03.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1940{{Cite web|title= 1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch03.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1950{{Cite web|title= 1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-08.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1960{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-06-d.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1970{{Cite web|title= 1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ca1-01.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1980{{Cite web|title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caAB-01.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1990{{Cite web|title= 1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}

2000{{Cite web|title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 2010{{Cite web|title= 2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
2020

}}

Brea first appeared as a city in the 1920 U.S. Census as part of Brea Township.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Brea city, California – Racial and ethnic composition
{{nobold|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.}}

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 2000{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Brea city, California|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US0608100&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}

!Pop 2010{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Brea city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0608100&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}

!{{partial|Pop 2020}}{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Brea city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0608100&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}

!% 2000

!% 2010

!{{partial|% 2020}}

White alone (NH)

|23,541

|20,690

|style='background: #ffffe6; |18,256

|66.48%

|52.67%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |38.58%

Black or African American alone (NH)

|409

|499

|style='background: #ffffe6; |784

|1.16%

|1.27%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.66%

Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|111

|90

|style='background: #ffffe6; |101

|0.31%

|0.23%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.21%

Asian alone (NH)

|3,184

|7,068

|style='background: #ffffe6; |13,082

|8.99%

|17.99%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |27.64%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|71

|62

|style='background: #ffffe6; |54

|0.20%

|0.16%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.11%

Other race alone (NH)

|57

|82

|style='background: #ffffe6; |230

|0.16%

|0.21%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.49%

Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|832

|974

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,846

|2.35%

|2.48%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.90%

Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|7,205

|9,817

|style='background: #ffffe6; |12,972

|20.35%

|24.99%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |27.41%

Total

|35,410

|39,282

|style='background: #ffffe6; |47,325

|100.00%

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

=2020=

File:Entrance to Brea Mall.jpg

The 2020 United States census reported that Brea had a population of 47,325. The population density was {{convert|3,889.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Brea was 45.1% White, 1.8% African American, 0.8% Native American, 28.0% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 10.3% from other races, and 14.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.4% of the population.{{cite web |title=Brea city, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0608100 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 9, 2025}}

The census reported that 99.4% of the population lived in households, 0.3% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.2% were institutionalized.

There were 17,069 households, out of which 33.4% included children under the age of 18, 56.6% were married-couple households, 5.3% were cohabiting couple households, 24.1% had a female householder with no partner present, and 14.0% had a male householder with no partner present. 20.4% of households were one person, and 9.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.76. There were 12,553 families (73.5% of all households).{{cite web |title=Brea city, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0608100 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 9, 2025}}

The age distribution was 21.2% under the age of 18, 8.2% aged 18 to 24, 27.5% aged 25 to 44, 26.6% aged 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 40.1{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males.

There were 17,881 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,469.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}, of which 17,069 (95.5%) were occupied. Of these, 61.5% were owner-occupied, and 38.5% were occupied by renters.

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $124,837, and the per capita income was $53,128. About 4.5% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line.{{cite web |title=Brea city, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP5Y2023.DP03?g=1600000US0608100 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 9, 2025}}

=2010=

The 2010 United States census{{cite web |url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0608100 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715023717/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0608100 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 15, 2014 |title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Brea city |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 12, 2014}} reported that Brea had a population of 39,282. The population density was {{convert|3,243.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Brea was 26,363 (67.1%) White (52.7% Non-Hispanic White),{{cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0608100.html|title=Brea (City) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau|access-date=December 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417204015/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0608100.html|archive-date=April 17, 2015|url-status=dead}} 549 (1.4%) African American, 190 (0.5%) Native American, 7,144 (18.2%) Asian, 69 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 3,236 (8.2%) from other races, and 1,731 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9,817 persons (25.0%).

The census reported that 39,213 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 69 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 14,266 households, out of which 5,043 (35.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 8,132 (57.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,605 (11.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 632 (4.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 569 (4.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 100 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,070 households (21.5%) were made up of individuals, and 1,265 (8.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75. There were 10,369 families (72.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.23.

The population was spread out, with 9,057 people (23.1%) under the age of 18, 3,654 people (9.3%) aged 18 to 24, 10,669 people (27.2%) aged 25 to 44, 10,952 people (27.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,950 people (12.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

There were 14,785 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,221.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}, of which 9,266 (65.0%) were owner-occupied, and 5,000 (35.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.3%. 26,889 people (68.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 12,324 people (31.4%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States census, Brea had a median household income of $82,055, with 5.6% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

Government

Image:Brea cityhall-external.jpg

File:Brea City Hall (3127922391).jpg

=Local=

Brea is governed by a council-manager system. The five-member city council is elected to four-year terms in elections held every two years to fill alternately two and three seats.{{cite web |url=http://www.ci.brea.ca.us/article.cfm?id=36 |title=City Council |publisher=City of Brea |access-date=October 27, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061011075658/http://www.ci.brea.ca.us/article.cfm?id=36 |archive-date=October 11, 2006 |url-status=dead }} The council is made up of the mayor, the mayor pro tem and three councilmembers.{{cite web |url=http://www.ci.brea.ca.us/section.cfm?id=230 |title=Brea City Council - 2005-2006 |publisher=City of Brea |access-date=October 27, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061026033234/http://www.ci.brea.ca.us/section.cfm?id=230 |archive-date=October 26, 2006 |url-status=dead }} The council elects a mayor from the serving councilmembers to serve a one-year term as mayor. The city council hires a city manager to direct the city's departments and advise the council. The council appoints members of the Planning Commission; Parks, Recreation and Human Services Commission; Cultural Arts Commission, and Traffic Committee.

=Federal, State, and County Representation =

In the United States House of Representatives, Brea is split between {{Representative|cacd|45|fmt=district}},{{Cite GovTrack|CA|35}} and {{Representative|cacd|40|fmt=district}}.{{Cite GovTrack|CA|40}}

In the California State Assembly, Brea resides within the 59th Assembly District,{{Cite web |title=ArcGIS Web Application |url=https://ocvote.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=3233540be31b4dd4bb6b114317d7ead4 |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=ocvote.maps.arcgis.com}} represented by Republican Phillip Chen.

In the California State Senate, Brea is split between two districts

In the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Brea resides within the 4th District represented by Doug Chaffee.

=Politics=

Brea is traditionally a Republican stronghold at the presidential level, Democratic nominee Joe Biden carried the city in 2020.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} According to the [https://ocvote.com Orange County Registrar of Voters], as of May 14, 2025, Brea has 30,626 registered voters.{{Cite web |title=Experience |url=https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/cd9f3c5183514912af58b66dc9b37744/page/Map-Central-Main/?views=Daily-Stats%E2%80%8B |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=experience.arcgis.com}} Of those, 9,991 (40.33%) are registered Republicans, 7,370 (29.75%) are registered Democrats, and 6,466 (26.10%) have declined to state a political party or are independents.{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/15day-gen-2018/politicalsub.pdf|title=CA Secretary of State – Report of Registration – October 22, 2018|website=ca.gov|access-date=February 16, 2019}}

= Crime =

The Uniform Crime Report (UCR), collected annually by the FBI, compiles police statistics from local and state law enforcement agencies across the nation. The UCR records Part I and Part II crimes. Part I crimes become known to law enforcement and are considered the most serious crimes including homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Part II crimes only include arrest data.{{Cite web |title=Offense Definitions |url=https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/topic-pages/offense-definitions |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=FBI |language=en-us}} The 2023 UCR Data for Brea is listed below:

class="wikitable"

|+2023 UCR Data{{Cite web |title=Crime Data Explorer |url=https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/crime-trend |website=FBI.gov}}

!

!Aggravated Assault

!Homicide

!Rape

!Robbery

!Burglary

!Larceny Theft

!Motor Vehicle Theft

!Arson

Brea

|51

|1

|11

|44

|174

|1,223

|99

|2

class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin:1em; font-size:95%;"

|+ Brea city vote
by party in presidential elections

style="background:lightgrey;"

! Year

! Democratic

! Republican

! Third Parties

align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|2020{{cite web|url=https://www.livevoterturnout.com/Orange/LiveResults/precincts_6.pdf|title=Precinct results |date=2020 |website=www.ocvote.com |access-date=November 27, 2020}}

|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|50.52% 12,801

|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|47.54% 12,046

|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.95% 493

align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|2016{{Cite web |title=CERTIFIED STATEMENT OF THE VOTES CAST at the PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION November 8, 2016 in the County of Orange, State of California |url=https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/live/gen2016/sov.pdf}}

|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|44.55% 8,724

|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|48.17% 9,432

|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|7.28% 1,426

align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|2012{{Cite web |title=CERTIFIED STATEMENT OF THE VOTES CAST at the GENERAL ELECTION November 6, 2012 in the County of Orange, State of California |url=https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/live/gen2012/sov-for-web.pdf}}

|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|39.66% 7,197

|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|57.89% 10,504

|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|2.45% 444

align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|2008{{Cite web |title=Orange County Statement of Votes |url=https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/user_upload/sov/gen2008/sov.pdf }}

|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|41.70% 7,625

|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|56.26% 10,287

|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|2.05% 374

align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|2004{{Cite web |title=Orange County Statement of Votes |url=https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/user_upload/sov/e13/sov1.pdf}}

|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|33.35% 5,722

|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|65.56% 11,248

|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.08% 186

align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|2000{{Cite web |title=ORANGE COUNTY Statement of Votes GENERAL ELECTION |url=https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/user_upload/sov/gen2000/gen2000-SOV.pdf}}

|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|34.59% 5,408

|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|61.71% 9,649

|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|3.70% 579

align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|1996{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/statementofvote51996cali|title=Statement of vote|last=California. Secretary of State|date=March 30, 1968|publisher=Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary|via=Internet Archive}}

|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|34.70% 4,931

|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|55.40% 7,872

|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|9.90% 1,407

align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|1992{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/statementofvote31992cali|title=Statement of vote|last=California. Secretary of State|date=March 30, 1968|publisher=Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary|via=Internet Archive}}

|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|28.91% 4,686

|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|48.09% 7,796

|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|23.00% 3,728

align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|1988{{Cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/statementofvote81988cali | title=Statement of the Vote| publisher=Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary| year=1968}}

|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|27.82% 4,061

|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|71.06% 10,372

|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.12% 164

align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|1984{{Cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/statementofvote61984cali | title=Statement of the Vote| publisher=Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary| year=1968}}

|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|21.26% 2,976

|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|77.96% 10,913

|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.79% 110

align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|1980{{Cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/statementofvote41980cali| title=Statement of the Vote| publisher=Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary| year=1968}}

|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|20.79% 2,660

|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|71.03% 9,088

|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|8.18% 1,046

align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|1976{{Cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/statementofvote1976cali | title=Statement of the Vote| publisher=Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary| year=1968}}

|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|33.24% 2,983

|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|65.24% 5,855

|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.48% 133

Economy

=Top employers=

According to the city's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,{{cite web|url=https://www.ci.brea.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/679/City-of-Brea-ACFR?bidId=|title=City of Brea ACFR|access-date=August 14, 2024 }} the city's top employers are:

class="wikitable"
#

! Employer

! # of employees

1

|Albertsons

|1,206

2

|Beckman Coulter

|837

3

|Brea Olinda Unified School District

|621

4

|Nationwide

|460

5

|Service Champions Plumbing, HVAC

|406

6

|Bristol Industries

|405

7

|Nordstrom

|250

8

|24 Hour Fitness

|201

9

|Acosta Sales & Marketing

|163

10

|The Olive Garden

|122

Education

Brea is primarily served by the Brea Olinda Unified School District, which operates six elementary schools, one junior high school (Brea Junior High School), one high school (Brea Olinda High School), and one continuation high school (Brea Canyon High School).{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

Infrastructure

Transportation

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) operates four local bus routes servicing 68 stops within Brea.{{cite web |title=2024 Brea Fact Sheet |url=https://octa.net/pdf/fact-sheet/Brea-Fact-Sheet.pdf |website=www.octa.net |publisher=Orange County Transportation Authority |access-date=30 April 2025}} Foothill Transit Route 286 terminates at Brea Mall.{{cite web |title=System Area Map |url=https://www.foothilltransit.org/routes/map|website=www.foothilltransit.org |publisher=Foothill Transit |access-date=14 May 2025}}

City Services

Fire protection for Brea is provided by the Brea Fire Department,{{cite web |url=http://www.ci.brea.ca.us/section.cfm?id=35 |title=Fire Services |publisher=City of Brea |access-date=October 27, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061026033536/http://www.ci.brea.ca.us/section.cfm?id=35 |archive-date=October 26, 2006 |url-status=dead }} and law enforcement is provided by the Brea Police Department. Within Carbon Canyon,{{Cite web |url=http://hillsforeveryone.org/projects/olinda-landfill.html |author=Hills For Everyone - Friends of Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor |title=Olinda Landfill at Hills For Everyone |access-date=December 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726151000/http://hillsforeveryone.org/projects/olinda-landfill.html |archive-date=July 26, 2011 |url-status=dead }} in the Olinda neighborhood of Brea,{{Cite web |url=http://www.ci.brea.ca.us/article.cfm?id=918 |author=City of Brea |title=Olinda Landfill at City of Brea official website |access-date=December 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311235831/http://www.ci.brea.ca.us/article.cfm?id=918 |archive-date=March 11, 2011 |url-status=dead }} is the Olinda Landfill,{{Cite web |url=http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Profiles/Facility/Landfill/LFProfile1.asp?COID=33&FACID=30-AB-0035 |author=California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) |title=Olinda Landfill at CalRecycle |access-date=December 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100803163716/http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Profiles/Facility/Landfill/LFProfile1.asp?COID=33&FACID=30-AB-0035 |archive-date=August 3, 2010 |url-status=dead }} a waste management facility serving Orange County.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ocgov.com/portal/site/ocgov/menuitem.02b739dec30413a69add603d100000f7/?vgnextoid=32fcb0d5a553a110VgnVCM1000005b00610aRCRD&vgnextchannel=0cb245f36dce8110VgnVCM1000005b00610aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default |author=Orange County Waste & Recycling Department |title=Olinda Landfill at Orange County Waste & Recycling Department |access-date=December 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100703165233/http://ocgov.com/portal/site/ocgov/menuitem.02b739dec30413a69add603d100000f7/?vgnextoid=32fcb0d5a553a110VgnVCM1000005b00610aRCRD&vgnextchannel=0cb245f36dce8110VgnVCM1000005b00610aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default |archive-date=July 3, 2010 |url-status=dead }}

= Health Care =

Brea is serviced by very few medical facilities:

  • [https://www.kindredhospitals.com/locations/california/brea Kindred Hospital Brea] (Long-term acute care)
  • [https://breaurgentcare.com/ Brea Urgent Care] (Urgent Care)

= Water Services =

Water in Brea is supplied by the City of Brea Utilities Water Division, which sources its water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, importing water from the Colorado River and the State Water Project, drawing from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Additionally, Cal Domestic in Whitter imports groundwater from the Main San Gabriel groundwater basin.[https://www.cityofbrea.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14517/Brea-2024-WQ-Report?bidId= Brea 2024 WQR]

Registered Historic Places

  • Brea City Hall and Park{{Cite web |title=National Register of Historic Places |url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/SearchResults/e5277350-5102-445a-bccd-2337851299f8?page=6&view=list&sort=default |access-date=May 14, 2025 |website=National Park Service}}

Notable people

Sister cities

{{See also|List of sister cities in California}}

Brea is twinned with:{{cite web |title=Brea Sister City Program |url=https://www.ci.brea.ca.us/920/Sister-Cities|website=ci.brea.ca.us|publisher=City of Brea|access-date=January 13, 2021}}

References

{{reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

  • {{cite book |first=Purl |last=Hardy |title=History of Brea, California: From Early Oil Field Days to 1950 }}
  • {{cite web|url=http://www.breachamber.com/brea/history.asp |title=History of Brea |publisher=Brea Chamber of Commerce |access-date=October 27, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061022210154/http://www.breachamber.com/brea/history.asp |archive-date=October 22, 2006 |url-status=dead }}
  • {{cite web |url=http://www.myoc.com/community/brea/history/ |title=My Orange County: Brea History |access-date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207121626/http://www.myoc.com/community/brea/history/ |archive-date=February 7, 2005}}

{{refend}}

External links

{{Commons category}}

  • {{official website|https://www.cityofbrea.gov/}}

{{Brea, California}}

{{Cities of Orange County, California}}

{{Greater Los Angeles Area}}{{Portal bar|United States|California|Greater Los Angeles|Geography|Cities}}{{authority control}}

Category:Cities in Orange County, California

Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California

Category:Populated places established in 1917

Category:1917 establishments in California