PolicyLink and PERE
73
An Equity Profile of Orange County
Highlights
Connectedness
Share of Latinos who would
need to move to achieve
residential integration with
whites:
Rent-burdened households rank
(out of 150 largest regions):
53%
#12
Are the region's residents and neighborhoods connected to one another and to the region's assets and opportunities?
Number of eligible-to-
naturalize adults:
180,000
• While Orange County is less segregated compared to the state and nation
overall, segregation has risen in Orange County since 1990 and tends to be
highest between whites and other racial/ethnic groups.
• Orange County ranks high in rent-burdened households among the 150
largest regions and in general, people of color face a higher housing-cost
burden, whether owners or renters.
• Low-wage workers in the region are not likely to find affordable rental
housing. About 23 percent of jobs are low-wage while only 6 percent of
rental units are affordable.
• Neighborhoods with high concentrations of low-income families and
people of color are more likely to be exposed to air pollution.
• Civic engagement among communities of color is on the rise. The number
of Latino and Asian American voters increased rapidly between 2012 and
2016—faster than the number of citizens of voting age or registered
voters.
Equitable regions are places of connection, where residents can access
the essential ingredients to live healthy and productive lives in their
own neighborhoods, reach opportunities located throughout the region
(and beyond) via transportation or technology, participate in political
processes, and interact with other diverse residents.
