City of Brea

Nestled in the foothills of north Orange County, the City of Brea is a unique community of more than 36,000 residents. Brea plays host to over 100,000 people who visit the City daily to work, shop or enjoy one of the fine entertainment venues offered here. Brea is a diverse residential, industrial and commercial North Orange County community located about 30 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles and 20 miles northwest of John Wayne Airport. It occupies 11.2 square miles and is surrounded by gentle, rolling hills and extends into picturesque Carbon Canyon, linking it with Chino Hills to the east. The Orange (57) Freeway provides easy access to the rest of Orange County, as well as the San Gabriel and Pomona valleys. Beaches, deserts, mountains and the recreational facilities of Southern California are within easy reach of Brea.

The City is also a major retail center. Our completed Downtown Brea is a destination venue for unique entertainment and shopping in North Orange County. The Brea Mall is a 99+ acre regional shopping center. Adjacent to the Mall is the City’s $22 million Civic and Cultural Center and Brea Marketplace. Additionally, our modern $10 million multi-use complex Brea Community Center is located across the street and serves 8,000 people weekly. We invite you to visit Brea both virtually by browsing our website and in reality by traveling to our beautiful city. Brea is definitely the place to live, work, shop or dine.

 

demographics

Transportation
Located among rolling hills in the northeast corner of Orange County, Brea offers easy access to Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, and to a number of beaches, resorts, and tourist attractions. Orange County Airport is 17 miles away, Ontario Airport 25 miles away, and LAX 48 miles from Brea. An Amtrak station and a municipal airport are located in the neighboring city of Fullerton, approximately 5 miles away. Brea is 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The Orange (57) Freeway bisects the city from north to south and offers easy access to the Riverside (91) Freeway to the south and the Pomona (60) and San Bernardino (10) Freeways to the north.

Economic Base
A strong commercial and industrial sector offers employment opportunities and a strong tax base which allows Brea citizens to enjoy a high level of public services rarely found in a community of 39,584 people. Brea is a regional retail center offering every conceivable type of goods and services. The diversified business sector includes manufacturing, service industries, retail and distribution outlets, and professional corporations.

Brea's average household income as estimated by the 2002 Census is $84,457, well above the nation's average.  Average household incomes are expected to increase 14.8% over the next five years to $96,936.  Education levels are also high in Brea, with 21% of the adult population earning bachelor's degrees and 10% earning graduate or professional degrees. 

Housing
Brea enjoys a diverse mixture of housing types, from quaint neighborhoods dating back to the 1920s to modern single-family developments, planned apartment communities, condominiums, townhouses and five mobile home parks. Sales prices of existing homes start at $450,000.  Rental prices begin at $950 per month.

Baywood Development built 96 single-family residences in the old downtown area. Called the "Ash Street Cottages," the project features charming Victorian and Craftsman archictecture clustered in a pedestrian-oriented village setting. The Olson Company completed a 27-home development called The Arbors in 1997, and has built a neighborhood for an additional 25 families in the same area near the Brea Mall/Brea Civic Center at Poplar and Birch. City Walk townhomes sold out very quickly in the downtown area, and 625 new tract homes are now complete at Olinda Heights, near the intersection of Lambert Rd. and Valencia Ave. 

There are also a number of housing opportunities for senior citizens, including Brea Woods Senior Apartments, Breal Senior Apartments, Rebecca's Senior Apartments, Heritage Plaza Senior Apartments, Vintage Canyon, Orange Villa and Cypress Gardens at Brea.  Call the Chamber office at (714) 529-4938 for more information.

Public Safety
Brea has an outstanding police department with highly-trained personnel and state of the art technology, and special services such as canine units, a bicycle patrol and a Community Action Patrol. The city also provides police service to the city of Yorba Linda on a contract basis. The Brea Fire Department has excellent firefighting and paramedic capabilities. The Basic Fire Insurance rating for the city is 3.

Environment & Public Works
Brea became one of the first cities in Orange County to implement trash recycling in 1989. Brea Disposal, contractor for refuse disposal, furnishes residents with three special receptacles for sorting recyclables and green waste from other refuse, and uses automated equipment for collection.

The city's environmental consciousness is also reflected in the many drought-resistant landscape plantings on city properties, and the use of recycled and recyclable goods in city operations.

A tough anti-graffiti ordinance, community volunteers, and a Graffiti Hot Line have helped keep Brea free from the unsightly blight that plagues many other cities. Graffiti is removed within 24 hours when possible, and perpetrators are prosecuted and made to perform or pay for clean-up.

Brea leaders are committed to a strong public works program including street maintenance, tree trimming, traffic management, street sweeping, and infrastructure such as the water and sewer systems.

Medical Care
Brea offers numerous diverse medical options to its residents.  With a variety of physicians, surgeons and other highly skilled medical professionals in and around the city, the quality of healthcare in Brea is outstanding.

Brea is close neighbors with Placentia-Linda Hospital and St. Jude Regional Medical Center.  These excellent facilities provide quality health care and 24-hour emergency care to the Brea area.

St. Jude Regional Medical Center, located in nearby Fullerton, is one of Southern California's most respected and technologically advanced hospitals.  It is widely recognized for its success in areas from cardiology to extensive rehabilitation.  With more than 600 of the area's finest physicians on staff, St. Jude continues to set the standard for medical care.

Placentia-Linda Hospital is located in the neighoring city of Placentia.  The hospital's services range from general and orthopedic surgery and joint replacement to rehabilitation therapy, and include a highly advanced gastroenterology lab.  Placentia-Linda also features a "Premier Advantage for Seniors 55+" community outreach program.

Education
Brea public schools consistently score above the 90th percentile in state and national achievement tests. Several Brea schools have been recognized as "Blue Ribbon" and "Distinguished" schools. Approximately 80% of graduating seniors attend college annually. 

The Brea Olinda Unified School District operates six elementary schools, one junior high school, a high school, and an alternative high school. Brea Olinda High School boasts state of the art computer technology, a professional performing arts center and complete athletic facilities, including a synthetic track.

Brea also has several preschools, two Christian schools, and a Roman Catholic school serving grades K-8.

Colleges, universities and a number of technical and vocational schools are located in and around Brea. California State University, Fullerton College, Pacific Christian College, Hope University, Western State University College of Law and Southern California College of Optometry are located in nearby Fullerton.

Community Profile
Population	39,584
Daytime population	100,000
Median Age	34.5 years
Median Household Income	$84,457
Elevation	375'
Area	11.1 Square Miles
Climate	Average mean temperature 62.2. Average rainfall 15.9 inches per year. Average humidity 45-75%.

 

history

Nestled in the foothills on a plateau at the northern tip of Orange County, Brea was known as a place where tar seeped from the hills.  The word "Brea" means tar in Spanish. In early history, Indians and pioneers used chunks of the oil-soaked earth for fuel and domestic purposes like heating their homes and waterproofing their roofs.  Then came the big oil boom!

In 1894, the Union Oil Company purchased 1,200 acres of land to be used for oil development.  They struck it rich in 1898 when the first oil well, Olinda Oil Well #1, came in - thus creating an oil boom in the hills of Brea and Olinda and paving the way for the thriving city that Brea is today.

For a short time, the early settlement was named Randolph.  An actual town did not develop until 1911 when businesses and small industries sprang up to serve the oil field workers and their families.  The official founding date for the town of Brea is January 19, 1911, when the old map of the town of Randolph was refiled under a new name.  The City of Brea became incorporated on February 23, 1917, with a population of 752.

Brea's oil boom lasted until the 1940s.  As oil production declined, the next three decades brought new housing developments and businesses to Brea.  The 70s saw big changes with the opening of the Brea Mall. The city grew steadily through the years.  As oil production declined, the 40s, 50s and 60s brought many new housing developments and new businesses.  The 70s saw big changes with the opening of the Orange (57) freeway and the construction of the Brea Mall.  Industrial parks and retail areas thrived in Brea during the 70s and 80s, as more and more companies took advantage of the city's strategic location in the center of Southern California.

Two historical books provide an interesting look at Brea's past, "Brea, Celebrating 75 Years," by Teresa Hampson, and "Oil, Oranges and Opportunity," by local historian Esther Cramer.  Also, a recently produced DVD by Brea historian Brian Saul titled "Brea, A History of Our Town and Our Times," takes you through some fascinating and unusual facts about Brea's early times.  All are available for purchase at the Brea Community Center front counter.  For information, please call 990-7100.  A historical video titled, "A Walk in Time," and the items mentioned above, can also be purchased from the Brea Historical Society.  For information, please call 671-4448.