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+CypressSafer than 35% of U.S. towns C−BreaSafer than 21% of U.S. towns

Schools

BCypressBetter than 60% of districts in the state A−BreaBetter than 81% of districts in the state

Health

ACypressHealthier than 86% of U.S. towns ABreaHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns

10Cypress

11Brea

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

Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #527#205 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #391#64 Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #540#246 SafestSafety · 411 towns #167#280 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #53#235 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #479#606 Most remote workersWork · 801 towns #215#332 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #351#230

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $340 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.

Down paymentRate%

Cypress$6,200/mo

Typical home $1.07M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $2,483/mo · Housing →

Brea$6,540/mo

Typical home $1.12M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $2,397/mo · Housing →

The difference: $340 a month, about $4,100 a year, between Brea and Cypress.

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

CypressBrea

Snow a year0″0″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th 89th

Outdoors & history

CypressBrea

Trails4 mi 22 mi

Conserved land2.1%10.1%

National Register places—1

Archive photos2 1

Famous people born here12 20

Community

CypressBrea

Library hours a week28 hrs 42 hrs

Colleges in town1 —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined1 0

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

12 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CypressBrea

Cypress ↔ Brea12 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.

Only big differences vs California average

CypressBrea

People

Population 49,498Highest 47,469Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.9%Lowest CA: +6.1% +20.5%Highest CA: +6.1%

Median age 41.4±1.1Highest 9% above CA 39.7±1.4Lowest 5% above CA

Cypress and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 22.1%±1.8Lowest CA: 22% 22.7%±1.9Highest CA: 22%

Brea and Cypress are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 16.8%±1.3Lowest CA: 15.7% 17.2%±1.4Highest CA: 15.7%

Brea and Cypress are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 50.7%Lowest CA: 37.1% 52.2%Highest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.6%±1Highest CA: 7.6% 7.2%±1.1Lowest CA: 7.6%

Cypress and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $130,215±$8kLowest 31% above CA $131,129±$12kHighest 32% above CA

Brea and Cypress are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $913,900±$19kLowest 24% above CA $922,300±$24kHighest 26% above CA

Brea and Cypress are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,483±$104Highest 22% above CA $2,397±$82Lowest 18% above CA

Cypress and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $6,066Lowest 18% above CA $6,740Highest 32% above CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.5%±5.8Highest CA: 55.3% 53.3%±5.2Lowest CA: 55.3%

Cypress and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 6.6% CA: 12% 6.6% CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 68.1%Highest CA: 55.9% 59.7%Lowest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than CA 1978Highest 2 yrs newer than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 29 minLowest about the CA average 31 minHighest 9% above CA

Work from home 20.2%±2.4Highest CA: 17.2% 15.4%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2%

Work in townworking residents 5.7%Lowest 8.7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 12.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.01Lowest 1.99Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (10%)Anaheim (8%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BreaFew work in Cypress

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2.1%Lowest 10.1%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 3.5 miLowest 21.5 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miLowest 1.7 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 19Highest 15Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 147Highest 101Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #84 of 574 in CA #80 of 574 in CA

School district Anaheim Union High · Cypress ElementaryBrea-Olinda Unified

High school in town Cypress HighBrea Olinda High

Students per teacherat that high school 26.9Highest 21.3Lowest

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.

Cypress neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 6d

Supporting Local Businesses

1 neighbor in Cypress can answer.

Brea neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brea’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Cypress and Brea

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Bordering Cypress

+ Compare

Buena Park82,871 people · $839K homes

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Los Alamitos11,794 people · $1.06M homes

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La Palma15,272 people · $974K homes

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Stanton39,402 people · $579K homes

Towns like Cypress

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Rancho Santa Margarita46,990 people · $971K homes

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Martinez36,903 people · $860K homes

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Chino Hills77,927 people · $875K homes

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Poway48,713 people · $1.03M 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.

Cypress vs Brea

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Brea places higher on 11 of 22 CA lists

A typical home costs $340 more a month in Brea

What daily life feels like in each

12 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Supporting Local Businesses

Set another town beside Cypress and Brea

Bordering Cypress

Towns like Cypress

Post to Cypress

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