1st Advantage MortgageThe median Orange County household earns $72,104, and 13% of residents live below the poverty line. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Texas before sharing details.
On this page
- A quick profile of Orange County
- Income in Orange County compared with Texas
- Jobs and commutes in Orange County
- Renting and owning in Orange County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Orange County
- Orange County and the counties next door
- Debt-to-income at Orange County's medians
- Who lives in Orange County, in numbers
- Local borrowing considerations for Orange County
- Checklist for Orange County applicants
- Texas rules that apply in Orange County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Orange County
Orange County is home to about 85,307 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 47th most populous of 254 county-level areas in Texas. Land area is 334 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 256 per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX metropolitan area. Orange is the biggest of its 10 Census places, at roughly 19,177 people (22% of the county total).
Income in Orange County compared with Texas
The median household income in Orange County is $72,104; statewide it is $78,476, so Orange County runs 8% below Texas as a whole.
| Band | Orange County | Compared with Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.5% | +2.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.2% | +0.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.0% | +0.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.4% | -3.1 pts |
The spread is wide: 36% of Orange County households make $100,000 or more, and 23% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 12.5%, 1 point lower than the state's 13.8%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.457 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Orange County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Jobs and commutes in Orange County
By the Census industry count, 19% of employed Orange County residents work in education and health care and 18% in manufacturing. The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 18% locally and 9% for Texas. The survey's unemployment rate for Orange County averages 6.0% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 5.3%). 12% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 4% work from home. Only 4.7% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Orange County | Gap to Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 18.9% | -2.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 18.0% | +9.4 pts |
| Construction | 12.6% | +4.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.8% | -0.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.7% | -4.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.3% | -1.2 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Renting and owning in Orange County
Renters in Orange County pay a median of $1,100 a month, 22% below the Texas figure of $1,403. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 49% of renter households here. Home values center on $173,400, or 2.4 years of median income. Owners occupy 75% of homes.
| Home costs | Orange County | Texas | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,100/mo | $1,403/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $173,400 | $283,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 75% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 49% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 29% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 16.6% | 6.4% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 14% | 9% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Orange County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Cities, towns and CDPs in Orange County
Here are the 10 most populous of the county's 10 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 60% of Orange County residents live in one of the 10. Incomes vary by place: $98,068 at the median in Pine Forest, $49,938 in Pinehurst. This guide covers each of the 10 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | city | 19,177 | $62,891 | $1,108 | 8 mi |
| Vidor | city | 9,708 | $62,192 | $820 | 6 mi |
| Bridge City | city | 9,640 | $88,958 | $1,431 | 7 mi |
| West Orange | city | 3,420 | $60,323 | $1,407 | 9 mi |
| Mauriceville | CDP | 2,945 | $64,167 | $1,031 | 8 mi |
| Pinehurst | city | 1,999 | $49,938 | $1,304 | 7 mi |
| Little Cypress | CDP | 1,963 | $91,199 | $867 | 9 mi |
| Forest Heights | CDP | 1,795 | $81,429 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Pine Forest | city | 519 | $98,068 | $1,069 | 9 mi |
| Rose City | city | 391 | $46,094 | n/a | 9 mi |
Orange County and the counties next door
Jefferson County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, Cameron Parish, is 47 miles off. Income ranges from $42,618 in Newton County to $75,808 in Hardin County; 2 of these neighbors top Orange County's median. The list crosses into Louisiana, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County | - | $72,104 | $1,100/mo | 75% |
| Jefferson County, TX | 24 mi | $60,026 | $1,117/mo | 63% |
| Calcasieu Parish, LA | 33 mi | $67,564 | $1,109/mo | 73% |
| Hardin County, TX | 33 mi | $75,808 | $1,049/mo | 82% |
| Jasper County, TX | 44 mi | $56,723 | $848/mo | 79% |
| Newton County, TX | 47 mi | $42,618 | $1,001/mo | 83% |
| Cameron Parish, LA | 47 mi | $75,278 | $1,688/mo | 95% |
Debt-to-income at Orange County's medians
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Orange County's medians:
- $72,104 a year is $6,009 of gross monthly income
- Rent at the median, $1,100, takes 18% of that
- $1,484: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Two-income households and single earners in Orange County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Who lives in Orange County, in numbers
College graduates make up 18% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 14.9%, against 17.1% for Texas.
| Residents | Orange County | Texas | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.3 | 35.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 17.7% | 33.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.8% | 14.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 14.9% | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.7% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 14.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.5% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.0% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 26.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 40.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 21.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.8% |
| 60+ min | 6.1% |
Local borrowing considerations for Orange County
Based on the Orange County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Health costs. With 15% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 17% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- 49% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
Checklist for Orange County applicants
Quick steps for Orange County:
- Price the Orange County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Verify the Texas license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Texas rules that apply in Orange County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Orange County, check the Texas Department of Banking. Texas also has the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner for consumer credit. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. Statewide data and rules: Texas guide.
Related local guides
The Texas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Orange County a high-income county?
Its $72,104 median ranks 72nd of 254 Texas counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
Is Orange County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,100 against $1,403 statewide, and 49% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Should Orange County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 75% of Orange County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Does this page cover Orange?
Yes, along with the other 9 Census places in Orange County, such as Vidor, Bridge City, West Orange.
Can Orange County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Texas county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.