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Brea vs Pleasant Hill

365 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+16.1 pts in Brea) and work from home (+10.8 pts in Pleasant Hill).

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Brea, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 47,469 people
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Pleasant Hill, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 34,235 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

BreaKnown for its schools
Schools#80 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 88%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#205 most trails in CA22 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves All about Brea →
Pleasant HillAn outdoors town
Outdoors#37 most walkable in CA12 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves Schools#93 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 92%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Pleasant Hill →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+16.1 pts
Brea has grown faster since 2010
Brea +20.5%Pleasant Hill +4.4%
Work from home+10.8 pts
More people work from home in Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill 26.2%Brea 15.4%
Jobs per worker2×
Brea is more of a job hub
Brea 1.99Pleasant Hill 1.00
Trails+73%
Brea has more miles of trail
Brea 21.5 miPleasant Hill 12.4 mi
Home values+17%
Homes cost more in Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill $1,077,100Brea $922,300
Street grid+50%
Pleasant Hill has the more walkable street grid
Pleasant Hill 152Brea 101
★ What stands out · Report cards

Brea places higher on 11 of 22 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
C−BreaSafer than 21% of U.S. towns DPleasant HillSafer than 9% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−BreaBetter than 81% of districts in the state B−Pleasant HillBetter than 54% of districts in the state
Health
ABreaHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns APleasant HillHealthier than 92% of U.S. towns
11Brea
10Pleasant Hill

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #64#412 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #84#308 Most remote workersWork · 801 towns #332#120 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 422 towns #148#258 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #235#37 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #99#288 Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #246#415 SafestSafety · 411 towns #280#364

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Brea’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $850 more a month in Brea

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Brea$6,540/mo
Typical home $1.12M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $2,397/mo · Housing →
Pleasant Hill$5,690/mo
Typical home $975K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.71% · or rent about $2,533/mo · Housing →

The difference: $850 a month, about $10,300 a year, between Brea and Pleasant Hill.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
BreaPleasant Hill
Snow a year0″0″
January low—42°F
July high—88°F
Growing season (days)—346d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th90th
Outdoors & history
BreaPleasant Hill
Trails22 mi12 mi
Conserved land10.1%3.9%
Settled—1961
National Register places11
Archive photos19
Famous people born here206
Community
BreaPleasant Hill
Library hours a week42 hrs46 hrs
Colleges in town—1
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

365 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BreaCAPleasant HillCA
Brea ↔ Pleasant Hill365 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

BreaPleasant Hill
People
Population 47,469Highest 34,235Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +20.5%Highest CA: +6.1% +4.4%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 39.7±1.4Lowest 5% above CA 42±1.1Highest 11% above CA
Pleasant Hill and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.7%±1.9Highest CA: 22% 20.2%±1.9Lowest CA: 22%
Brea and Pleasant Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.2%±1.4Lowest CA: 15.7% 17.6%±1.7Highest CA: 15.7%
Pleasant Hill and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 52.2%Lowest CA: 37.1% 54.6%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.2%±1.1Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.9%±1.6Highest CA: 7.6%
Pleasant Hill and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $131,129±$12kLowest 32% above CA $145,029±$13kHighest 46% above CA
Pleasant Hill and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $922,300±$24kLowest 26% above CA $1,077,100±$29kHighest 47% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,397±$82Lowest 18% above CA $2,533±$164Highest 24% above CA
Pleasant Hill and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,740Lowest 32% above CA $7,616Highest 49% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.3%±5.2Lowest CA: 55.3% 57.7%±9.5Highest CA: 55.3%
Pleasant Hill and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.6%Lowest CA: 12% 7.3%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 59.7%Lowest CA: 55.9% 62.6%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978Highest 2 yrs newer than CA 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 9% above CA 30 minLowest 5% above CA
Work from home 15.4%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 26.2%±2.8Highest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 8.7%Highest 5.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.8 miLowest 15.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.99Highest 1.00Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Anaheim (8%)San Francisco (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Pleasant HillFew work in Brea
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 10.1%Highest 3.9%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 21.5 miHighest 12.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.7 miLowest 1.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 15Highest 12Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 101Lowest 152Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #80 of 574 in CA#93 of 574 in CA
School district Brea-Olinda UnifiedContra Costa County ROP · Mt. Diablo Unified
High school in town Brea Olinda HighCollege Park High
Students per teacherat that high school 21.3Lowest 22.9Highest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Brea neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brea’s Town Square.

Pleasant Hill neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pleasant Hill’s Town Square.

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Bordering Brea

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Yorba Linda67,170 people · $1.15M homes
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Fullerton140,968 people · $903K homes
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La Habra61,970 people · $782K homes
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Placentia52,826 people · $921K homes

Towns like Brea

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Aliso Viejo51,113 people · $918K homes
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San Bruno42,307 people · $1.21M homes
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Cypress49,498 people · $914K homes
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Claremont36,595 people · $897K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks California towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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