UCI

Residential Satisfaction

How has Orange County held up under these two decades of rapid population growth? Very well, according to its residents. In terms of housing and neighborhoods, they find Orange County as satisfying a place to live today as it was for residents in the early 1980s. They are considerably more satisfied than residents were 10 years ago, during an economic downturn when county residents were in a pessimistic mood.

More than nine in 10 residents say they are very satisfied (67%) or somewhat satisfied (26%) with their house or apartment. Only one in 12 is dissatisfied. The percentage of residents very satisfied with their housing is identical to the percentage in the 1982 survey and significantly higher than in 1991.

More than nine in 10 also describe themselves as very satisfied (68%) or somewhat satisfied (25%) with the neighborhoods in which they live. Fewer than one in 12 express any degree of dissatisfaction with their neighborhoods. Again, these results are almost identical to 1982 survey results, and residents today are considerably more satisfied with their neighborhoods than residents were in 1991.

The county's major racial/ethnic groups vary in residential satisfaction, but a large percentage of all groups are highly satisfied. Non-Hispanic whites (71%) are more likely than Latinos (55%) and Asians (61%) to say they are very satisfied with their homes. Non-Hispanic whites (71%) are also more likely than Latinos (59%) and Asians (60%) to be very satisfied with their neighborhoods.

Homeowners are more pleased than renters with their homes (78% to 45%) and neighborhoods (74% to 55%). Similarly, those living in detached homes are more satisfied with their residential conditions than those living in apartments. Residential satisfaction in Orange County also tends to increase with age, household income, and education. South County residents are more likely than North County residents to say they are very satisfied with their homes (74% to 64%) and very satisfied with their neighborhoods (80% to 63%).

1982 and 1991 results are from the Orange County Annual Survey, UCI, by Mark Baldassare and Cheryl Katz.