The Best of Orange County: 10 Top Places to Settle In

Thinking of moving to Orange County? With warm weather all year, beautiful beaches, and lovely small towns, it’s one of California’s most desirable living areas.

While mostly suburban, it is a densely-populated county that offers many exciting employment opportunities and locations that fit different hobbies and lifestyles. No matter your reasons for moving to Orange County, with so many beautiful cities and towns, finding the right place to settle can take time and effort.

Check out our top picks to make the best decision for you. Let’s dive right in!

1. Irvine

Cities in Orange County are generally famous for their high quality of life, low crime rates, and excellent schools, and Irvine is no exception.

It is one of the largest cities in this county, with a population of about 300,000. Irvine is a master-planned city, which means it provides its residents with all the elements necessary for a healthy lifestyle – it’s full of parks, trails, farmland, housing, restaurants, shopping centers, and entertainment venues. All locations are easily accessible, and traffic is better than in other bigger South California cities.

The Great Park is a famous public park in Irvine, comprising 28% of the city’s total area. It has everything you want in a park, including huge green spaces, soccer fields, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, and even an ice hockey rink. This park is enormous and wide open, so it is rarely crowded and suited for a family day out. 

Beaches are also close by; you can visit them when you need to wind down after a hard day of work and enjoy the view. The employment market offers working opportunities with many successful brands, such as Amazon, Google, Blizzard Entertainment, and others.

For these reasons and many others, Irvine is one of the best cities to live in Orange County.

2. Anaheim

Anaheim is home to about 350,000 residents, which makes it the most populous city in Orange County. Disneyland is the staple of this city, and it plays a significant role in its growth and popularity, attracting many visitors year-round. If you’re looking for an urban, highly populated environment that’s still not as crowded as large metropolitan areas, Anaheim is the place for you.

You’ll never be bored in this city, as there are many attractions, cultural centers, outstanding restaurants, and cafes. Besides Disneyland, the city’s main attractions include the Aquarium of the Pacific, Flight Deck Flight Simulation Center, Angel Stadium, and Anaheim Packing District.

With beaches, deserts, and mountains so nearby, Anaheim’s residents also get many opportunities to escape the urban lifestyle and enjoy the extraordinary nature of Southern California.

3. Santa Ana

Santa Ana is the second-largest city in Orange County and its administrative center. Densely populated, this city is yet another exciting location for lovers of urban environments. 

The warm climate and many outdoor sports facilities make Santa Ana an excellent place to settle. It also has a low unemployment rate due to many investments, developments, and IT companies headquartered in this city. It is a great place to find career opportunities and an affordable destination for young families to settle in.

4. Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach is a small town in Southern Orange County with about 50,000 residents. Rich with pristine beaches, green parks, and employers listed in Fortune 500, it is undoubtedly one of the best places to settle in Orange county. It’s also a famous tourist destination, with millions of people visiting annually.

Laguna Beach became an art colony in the 30s when directors came down from Hollywood to shoot movies. As it grew, it became its own, fantastic place. This city is famous for its art community, music festivals, theater shows, lively nightlife, and fabulous restaurants. Also, there are plenty of opportunities to surf on beautiful beaches and hike in the 20,000 acres of protected land.

5. Newport Beach

This small city with about 85,000 residents is a big employment center with beautiful houses, excellent seafood restaurants, and marvelous surrounding natural areas. Newport Beach is ideal for water-based sports, such as rowing, kayaking, surfing, and paddle boarding. It is the largest recreational boat harbor, hosting many private yacht clubs.

The Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve is a vast wildlife sanctuary that provides visitors with the unique experience of walking, hiking, and biking through wonderful, intact nature. Excellent schools, sporting facilities, and outdoor areas make it a good and safe city for families with kids.

6. Mission Viejo

This tiny commuter city is excellent if you long for the laid-back, casual, Californian lifestyle. 

With sunny days all year round and low humidity, you’ll have excellent chances for outdoor activities. Golfing, biking, hiking, running, and frisbee throwing are popular activities among Mission Viejo citizens. 

Like many other Orange County cities, Mission Viejo has excellent public schools. Decorated with many parks and open spaces and populated with a close-knit community and friendly neighbors, this is a great city to start a calm, simple family life. 

7. Dana Point

The small city of Dana Point draws an increasing number of young professionals each year thanks to its inviting green parks, welcoming neighborhoods, many dining and sporting facilities, and work opportunities in the technology and defense industries.

Dana Point is one of Orange County’s most charming oceanfront cities for young families.

8. Aliso Viejo

With only about 50,000 inhabitants, Aliso Viejo is marked by a calming, suburban spirit. Good schools and affordable houses make Aliso Viejo an attractive opportunity for families with kids. This city borders the  Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, offering many opportunities for great hiking and wildlife sightseeing,

Low crime rates and family-friendly neighborhoods allow the residents to enjoy a quiet and safe life, outdoor activities,  and the beautiful surrounding San Joaquin Hills.

9. San Clemente

San Clemente, also known as the “Spanish Village by the Sea,” is an ocean-front city in the southern part of Orange County.  Known for its beaches, strong surf culture, Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, and hospitality industry, this city is a popular tourist destination in Southern California.

Camp Pendleton, the marine corps’s largest military base and home to 70,000 military personnel,  is located close to San Clemente. It takes up 125,000 acres of preserved and military land. All in all, San Clemente is great for people with families looking for cozy and safe coastal Californian towns.

10. Seal Beach

The famous aerospace giant Boeing is one of the major employers in this city. That’s why Seal Beach has recently become popular with young professionals competent in the aircraft technology and space exploration fields. In addition, a big part of the city’s acreage belongs to the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach military base.

Like other small coastal cities, it has incredible sandy beaches, outdoor facilities, and a wildlife sanctuary. Also, the second longest wooden pier in California is located in Seal Beach and is often used by residents for fishing and sightseeing.

Find Your Californian Paradise

Choosing a place to settle is exciting but can also be scary. However, if you’re intrigued by Orange County and its laid-back, coastal lifestyle, you’ll be able to make a home for yourself and start a new life in any of these marvelous Californian cities.

Good luck!