Progressive, friendly Orange County city blends history and renewal
Located in hilly northeast Orange County, Brea is known for its sprawling master-planned communities, built on tracts of land once covered in oil wells and orange groves. These days, the city's comfortable modern trappings are studded with historic treasures, like Orange County’s oldest pool at City Hall Park, the iconic 1920s Brea Clock downtown and one of California’s earliest commercial oil drilling sites. Brea’s name, a Spanish word for tar, has its roots in the city’s 1890s oil boom, which drew prospectors and Union Oil to seek black gold in Brea’s “tarry hills.” Oil production declined in the 1950s, and Union Oil turned toward residential development. By the 1960s, Brea’s population was the new boom, along with the manufacturing industry, with Bristol Industries and AMADA America as major employers.
Today’s fast-growing, 12-square-mile Brea is home to nearly 47,000 people. However, it still retains a small-town feel reminiscent of its early days. “Everybody knows each other here,” says Realtor and longtime Brea resident Darryl Jones of Darryl and JJ Jones Realty. “A big part of that is because you have only one junior high and one high school, so families have been raising their kids together.” While residents appreciate Brea’s legacy, they also look forward to continual progress, such as transforming the Sears department store in the Brea Mall into a high-end mixed-use residential development. As Brea continues to develop, the city will provide walkable downtown options and quick access to a major regional sports park — which will also see a substantial upgrade. It’s even attracted Amazon, which is planning a massive Brea facility.
Brea's residential landscape includes hillside homes.
Brea's Olinda Oil Museum is part museum, part hiking trail.
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Midcentury homes and modern subdivisions
Brea’s housing market is mostly comprised of midcentury developments and modern Spanish-style subdivisions, along with a growing selection of condos and townhouses. “There’s quite a mix of home styles in Brea,” according to Jones. “A few built in the 20s and 30s in old town Brea that add charm, plenty of tract homes from the 60s through the 80s, and then in 2004 we added a lot of newer homes.” One of Brea’s newest developments is Brea 265 — a nod to its 265-acre former oil field property. The community will include 1,100 affordable homes, luxury townhomes, single-family homes and apartments. A network of trails and acres of parkland are part of the master plan. Most single-family homes in Brea list for between $1 and $2 million, while condos and townhouses usually sell for $500,000 to $1 million.
Smaller, brightly colored homes can also be found in the Brea neighborhood.
Large estates can be found in Olinda Brea.
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Rails-to-trails Tracks at Brea, Olinda Oil Museum
Two regional parks, a dozen community parks, and the public Brea Creek and Birch Hills golf courses can all be found either in Brea or just outside it. “Brea has some of the nicest parks in the area,” says local Realtor Raul Padilla. “People come from all over north Orange County to go hiking in the hills around town.” Resident athletes play youth league soccer and baseball in Brea Sports Park or test their skills at the recently renovated Brea Skate Park in Arovista Park. More fields and courts fill the 124-acre Craig Regional Park, where locals also picnic by the rose garden, fish for bluegill or birdwatch in a wildlife sanctuary.
In 2018, the Tracks at Brea Trail turned a 4-mile railroad track into a linear 50-acre park. Bike trails are two-way and equipped with a dedicated pedestrian path, fountains and bike repair stations. At Olinda Oil Museum & Trail, hikers and runners enjoy a challenging 2-mile trail around former oil wells and antique tools leading to a summit with a sweeping Brea vista. Art enthusiasts will appreciate the nearly 200 sculptures placed around the city by Art in Public Places program, which has been beautifying Brea since 1975. “The Christmas lights in the Eagle Hills neighborhood are also a big draw,” adds Padilla. “The houses really go all out with their decorations, and the area gets so busy with visitors that the city usually posts police at the entrance.”
Brea's Olinda Oil Museum is part museum, part hiking trail.
The Olinda Oil Museum and Trail is located off Santa Fe Road.
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Brea Downtown, Brea Improv and coffee shops
Downtown Brea, which centers around the intersection of Birch and Brea Boulevards, is home to trendy cafes, brand-name shopping and open common areas. Brea residents can catch the latest movies at Regal Cinema or walk to Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen, The Yard House sports bar or the Brea Improv comedy club. It’s not the kind of downtown that has a lot of nightlife or frat kids partying till 2 a.m.,” says Jones. “It’s a mellow, peaceful place for a date night.” Multiple shopping centers, supermarkets and the expansive Brea Mall are on the south side of town along Imperial Highway.
The Improv and Old Brea Chop House are the centerpieces of Downtown.
Color Me Mine holds events for the Downtown Brea community.
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A-grade Brea Olinda Unified district and high school
The Brea Olinda Unified School District has an A-grade on Niche and oversees six elementary schools, one junior high and one high school. Brea-Olinda High also has an A on Niche and features a championship-winning marching band.
Brea Jr. High is located off Lambert Road in the city of Brea.
Brea Olinda High is home to the Wildcats.
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Route 57 in central Brea, public transit options
State Routes 90 and 57 run through the heart of Brea, connecting it to Fullerton, Anaheim and other parts of north Orange County. For many Brea residents, it’s more than 10 miles to Interstate 5, making getting around Greater Los Angeles a little time-consuming. Orange County Transportation Authority runs a number of bus routes through the city, connecting to locations in both Orange and Los Angeles County. John Wayne Airport is a 20-mile drive from the city, while Los Angeles International Airport is 40 miles away. Route 57 intersects the city, giving easy access to neighboring cities and major roads heading west. Trains, stationed in Fullerton and Anaheim, run north to Los Angeles and south to Ocean Beach.
Taste of Brea and Brea Fest food fun
Held every May, Taste of Brea attracts thousands of visitors to its showcase of businesses and eateries. August’s Brea Fest features local restaurants and artists, and admission is free for live performance entertainment, face-painting and crafts. The Eagle Hills neighborhood is famous county-wide for spectacular Christmas light displays.
Low crime, some fire risk and a Mediterranean climate
Brea has a CAP Crime Index score of 3 out of 10, below the national average of 4. The city is close enough to the coast to enjoy a Mediterranean climate, with average temperatures ranging from the mid-50s in winter to the high 80s during summer months. The area receives minimal rainfall, primarily in the winter. Many neighborhoods in the northeast parts of town are classified as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and buyers should consider both the fire risk and rising fire insurance premiums.
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