Brea, CA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·California·Brea

Orange County · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · population 47,844

Image: Wikipedia · Brea, California

Overview Cost of living Moving guide

View watchlist →

Rising

Momentum score · 0–100

Where Brea stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $1,132,739

1-year -0.3%

5-yr CAGR +6.1%

vs 5-yr peak -0.6%

Population +0.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly

Lifestyle scores

🚶

Walkability

32/100

Very car-dependent

Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.

🚉

Public transit

22/100

Transit limited

Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.

💻

Remote work fit

52/100

Workable for remote workers

Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 33.6

Rent

At a 33.6 price-to-rent ratio, renting beats buying in Brea for most shorter holds. The premium you pay to own would take many years of rent savings to recoup, and that's before maintenance, taxes, and opportunity cost on the down payment.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →

Home YoY

48 · w22%

Home 5-yr CAGR

70 · w22%

Distance from peak

86 · w18%

Population growth

50 · w16%

Rent YoY

46 · w12%

Home 10-yr CAGR

68 · w10%

Long thesis

Brea has held up across the cycle: home values at $1,132,739 with +6.1% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Brea carries a $1,132,739 median home with only -0.3% YoY. Premium pricing in a flat tape is the bear setup — you're paying for the trend that already ran while new buyers can't afford to extend it.

About Brea

Brea is a city in Orange County, California, with an estimated population of 47,844. It anchors the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area. The median home value in Brea is $1,132,739 as of 2026-04, down 0.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.1% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Brea average $2,813 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+0.1%). The composite momentum score is 62 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +6.1% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.

●Held the highs: currently -0.6% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

●Expensive AND not growing: median home $1,132,739 with only -0.3% YoY. You’re paying premium pricing for a flat trend.

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Brea (Wikipedia)

Brea is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States. The population as of the 2020 census was 47,325. It is 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Los Angeles. Brea is part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Orange County right now.

NWS active alerts (CA)California Emergency Management How to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Orange County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Brea

Eastvale, CA65 · Rising Vista, CA62 · Rising Placentia, CA68 · Rising Colton, CA62 · Rising

Run the numbers for Brea

ToolCan I afford Brea?Income → city shortlist ToolROI on a Brea rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCR ToolCompare Brea to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 cities ToolBrea cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)

60° / 41°

avg high / low

Summer (Jul)

82° / 60°

avg high / low

Sunny days/yr

258

~71% of year

Annual precip

22″ rain

8″ snow

Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)

Hurricane

Very low

Tornado

Very low

Wildfire

Very high

Earthquake

Very high

Flood

Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

NFLLos Angeles Rams →Los Angeles Chargers →

NBALos Angeles Lakers →Los Angeles Clippers →

MLBLos Angeles Dodgers →Los Angeles Angels →

NHLLos Angeles Kings →Anaheim Ducks →

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Brea listings on the major real-estate sites.

For rent

Zillow rentals → Apartments.com → Trulia rentals →

For sale

Zillow for sale → Realtor.com →

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Latest news

Pasadena Police Explorers Place in Five Scenarios at Regional Competition The Pasadena Police Department’s Explorer Program—a volunteer program for Pasadena residents ages 14 to 21—earned trophies in five of seven scenarios at the 2026 Battle of th
facebook.com · 3d ago
Geraldine "Jeri" Tingle Obituary (2026) – Brea, CA – Melancon Levingston Funeral Home – Port Neches
Legacy · 1d ago
California Soul: Brea Gallery opens ‘Made in California’
Los Angeles Times · 1w ago
Foster Distinctive Communities: Downtown Brea, Brea, California
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (.gov) · 3mo ago
Rita Longmuir Obituary (2013) – Brea, CA – Memory Garden Memorial Park & Mortuary
MassLive · 1w ago
Fortress Investment Group Closes $112 Million Senior Secured Financing for Residential and Retail Development in Brea, California | Fortress
Fortress Investment Group · 3mo ago

Local economy & environment

Humidity

65%

Moderate climate

Median household income

$91,500

California state median

Top industries (state-level)

TechEntertainmentAgriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.