Brea is home to 47,469 people in California. Home values have more than tripled since 2000, reaching $922,300. 52% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. That puts it in the top 3% of US cities for household income. Renters pay $2,397 a month at the median. Median household income runs $131,129, well clear of the $82,259 US median.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $131,129, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
52% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 104%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Brea
What changed most since 1990
White share77.3% → 35.4%(−41.9 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Asian share5.9% → 27.7%(+21.8 pts)US over the same years: +3.1 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree31.0% → 52.2%(+21.2 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)16.1%(248)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.9%(337)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.4%(607)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.1%(32)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II3.3%(51)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,542 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Brea, decade by decade
Brea population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
32,873
$123,011
$633,378
31.0%
46.8
2000
35,410
$108,860
$452,863
33.5%
63.4
2010
39,282
$114,578
$861,128
40.9%
78.4
2020
47,325
$122,378
$833,519
46.8%
87.2
2024
47,469
$131,129
$922,300
52.2%
88.2
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
