The Times Poll : South Is on Top in Orange County

North and South Orange County have evolved as two distinct, dissimilar places to live and work, with the south the all-out favorite, according to the latest Times Orange County Poll. Given the option, more than half the county’s residents would live south of the Costa Mesa Freeway.

If they all moved to the address of their dreams, the South County’s population would double and the North’s would shrink 38%.

North County residents seem to “harbor a fair amount of South County envy,” said Mark Baldassare, whose Irvine-based firm, Mark Baldassare & Associates, conducted the survey of 800 residents, half from the north, half from the south. “There’s a lot of pent-up desire for a South County address.”

When asked to name their ideal community, the greatest number of residents--14%--chose Newport Beach, followed by Irvine and Laguna Beach. Communities ranked somewhat lower were Anaheim, Mission Viejo and San Clemente. The cities of Brea, Buena Park, La Habra, Los Alamitos, Midway City, Santa Ana and Westminster each were named by 1% of residents as the ideal place to live.

North and South County residents also view their individual areas’ strengths differently, the poll found. Those in the north rank shopping opportunities the best feature, while those in the south say their parks and beaches are tops.

The poll showed both areas to be self-contained. Residents seldom venture into another area to work, play or shop. They are almost equally likely to work where they live: 70% of North County residents work in the north; 72% of South County residents work in the south. More than two thirds of North County residents remain there for shopping and entertainment. And an even greater number--three-fourths--of South County residents pursue shopping and entertainment in that area.

More Isolated

“The South County residents tend to stay more isolated,” said Baldassare, a UC Irvine professor of social ecology.

Traffic is the main reason, but he also believes that county residents have become more “home and community based”--in the north because established communities have come to offer a variety of services and in the south because master-planned communities start up with them.

“People can take care of a lot of their personal needs and amenities right where they live,” Baldassare said.

For purposes of the poll, the Costa Mesa Freeway was used as the dividing line, with Anaheim Hills considered in North County so it could rightly be included in the city of Anaheim.

Countywide, the two areas evoked widely differing images, the poll showed. The south is seen as more prestigious, safer from crime and a better place to rear children. Overall, 56% of residents rated South County as a “desirable place to live,” contrasted with 33% saying the same about the north.

Maryjane Brooks, a mortgage loan underwriter and poll respondent, lives with her husband and three young sons in a $400,000 house in one of the best neighborhoods in Anaheim. But she yearns for a move south. Because of increasing numbers of “homeless people and drunks” she sees in her city, Brooks worries about her children’s safety. She keeps them away from nearby parks--even from their own front yard. “Right now we spend most of our time in our back yard,” she said.

Newer, Cleaner

“South County is much newer, cleaner. South County places more emphasis on families, newer schools, cleaner parks. We’d have a family atmosphere in the south. I think it would give us more thinking in that line for recreation.”

Brooks, 35, is not alone in lusting after a South County address. But she doesn’t foresee a move. “Even though my house is worth $400,000, I would have to purchase something in the $600,000 range to come close to being comparable to what we have here,” she said.

Nearly two out of three residents say North and South County are separate entities, the poll found. South County residents are even more adamant: 72% say their area is distinct from the north.

No question about it, Brooks said. “The south is separate. It’s the difference in the people, for one thing. You see younger families there.”

Alnos Elekes, an Irvine physicist and another poll respondent, said the feeling of separateness derives from geography and environment. The north is farther from the beaches, “more densely built and smoggier,” he said.

Said Orange County Supervisor Thomas F. Riley, whose 5th District lies entirely within the South County: “The North County obviously was settled earlier. We all know that times and conditions change. . . . I would think that the South County is probably one of the most preferable places to live in the county today. Orange County as a whole--but in particular the South County--when we get the traffic situation taken care of, will be second to none.”

However, Supervisor Roger R. Stanton, whose 1st District lies entirely in North County, said he thought it “kind of ridiculous” that his constituents would be envious of South County.

“These polls sometimes are kind of silly, as far as I’m concerned,” Stanton said. “I don’t know what it’s supposed to signify. Since I’ve been on the Board of Supervisors, people have been trying to make a lot out of the North-South County division. I’ve always thought the differences were kind of artificial and really don’t mean anything.

“I don’t have any ambitions to move,” said Stanton, who lives in Fountain Valley.

Preferences Shape Future

Baldassare said, however, that polls he has done in the ‘80s “indicate strong and consistent differences between North and South County residents’ attitudes toward community life that ultimately affect people’s preferences about where they want to live. These preferences help shape the growth and future of Orange County. Therefore, people in the public and private sector can’t ignore such differences.”

Previous polls have shown that Orange County residents set themselves apart from Los Angeles County, Baldassare said. This poll was no exception. It found that only 15% of all residents here work in Los Angeles County--19% of those from the north, a mere 5% in the south.

But the north-south split within Orange County is a relatively new phenomenon, Baldassare said. “It has developed as the South County has became an attractive place to live and the North County has gotten older.”

The division sets the stage for political confrontation--and warring agendas on issues such as growth and traffic, political observers say.

The split can be compared to past differences between Los Angeles and Orange counties, Baldassare said. “The people in the North County wouldn’t totally agree on that, but certainly the North County is becoming more urban, and the South is becoming more suburban.”

And with urbanization comes crime, congestion and less desirability as a place to live, Baldassare said. “People in the South County want to separate themselves from what is going on in the North County much in the way people in Orange County separated themselves from L.A. a generation before.”

The Times Orange County Poll also found that:

* The best feature of Orange County cities is shopping malls and stores, with 62% of the residents reporting that they are very satisfied with that aspect of local life. Entertainment, recreation and employment opportunities ran a close second, rated very satisfying by more than half.

* About four in 10 residents rated schools and housing very satisfactory.

* Least favorable aspects were traffic and transportation, rated “not at all satisfactory” by two out of three residents.

* A majority--58%--of residents overall have a “very favorable” view of their community. North County residents are more likely to say their location is convenient, while those in the south like their communities’ climate and attractiveness.

* Opinions countywide are evenly split on South County’s “planned communities.” Half the residents would like to live in one; half wouldn’t.

* Residents have little interest in visiting Los Angeles. Only 30% in the north and 23% in the south went there more than once in the past month for non-work-related reasons. San Diego is as likely a destination for South County residents--22% went there twice or more in the past month.

The feeling of a north-south division was strongest among South County residents earning $60,000 and above. More than 80% consider the north and south to be “distinct and separate.”

And South County residents give their communities significantly higher marks than North County residents--72% of South County residents rate their area “very favorable,” contrasted with 52% of North County residents.

Case in point: Dennis Morales, a 38-year-old engineer and poll respondent who lives in San Clemente because he likes the small-town atmosphere.

“The North County has been urbanized longer,” he said. “I lived in northern part of Orange County for 10, 12 years before I moved down here. I can take my four-wheel-drive from here in about 20 minutes to use it. In the North County you have to fight the congestion.”

The Times Orange County Poll: Highlights * Nearly two-thirds of residents say the North and South County are distinct and separateareas * South County is perceived as the ideal residence. * Shopping and stores rank as the best aspect of life countywide. * Traffic is considered the worst aspect. * South County is seen as a better place to raise children. * North County residents are least happy with congestion in their area. * South County residents are happiest with their parks and beaches. * Only 15% of all residents work in Los Angeles County. How the Poll Was Conducted

The Times Orange County Poll was conducted by Mark Baldassare & Associates June 28 to July 1 in a telephone survey of 800 randomly selected Orange County adult residents on weekend days and weekday nights. Half were chosen from listed telephone prefixes north of the Costa Mesa Freeway and half from the south. Results were weighted to reflect the actual 1989 population distribution of North and South County.

About 70% of Orange County residents live in the north and 30% in the south. The margin of error for the poll is plus or minus 3.5% for the total sample. For subgroups it is larger. For the north and south subsamples, the margin of error is plus or minus 5%. All interviews were confidential; however, some respondents who agreed were later re-interviewed for news stories.

THE TIMES ORANGE COUNTY POLL

Quality of Life in Orange County

“Overall, how do you rate these features of your community?”

OC Totals Very Somewhat Not Level of Satisfaction Satisfied Satisfied Satisfied Shopping malls and stores 62% 31% 7% Movies, restaurants, entertainment 57 36 7 Parks and beaches 51 41 8 Job opportunities 50 38 12 Public schools 41 42 17 Housing choices 36 42 22 Traffic and transportation 8 26 66

North-South Differences

Note: The dividing line between North and South throughout this poll is the Costa Mesa Freeway.

Percent Very Satisfied North South Difference Parks and beaches 46% 63% 17% Public schools 39 48 9 Housing choices 34 41 7 Movies, restaurants, entertainment 57 57 0 Job opportunities 49 49 0 Traffic and transportation 8 7 1 Shopping malls and stores 64 57 7

Rankings North South Shopping malls and stores 1 (tie) 2 Movies, restaurants, entertainment 2 (tie) 2 Job opportunities 3 4 Parks and beaches 4 1 Public schools 5 5 Housing choices 6 6 Traffic and transportation 7 7

Images

“I’d like to get some of your impressions of the North County and the South County. Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree that the (Area) is (Characteristic)?”

Percent Strongly Agree North South Difference A desirable place to live 33% 56% 23 An expensive area 40 66 26 A good place to raise children 31 45 14 Too congested 61 47 14 A high crime area 27 9 18 A convenient location 56 36 20

NORTH-SOUTH DIFFERENCES

North County Residents’ Perceptions North South Difference An expensive area 44% 63% 19 A desirable place to live 39 49 10 A good place to raise children 36 41 5 A high crime area 27 11 16 Too congested 60 42 18 A convenient location 62 34 28

South County Residents’ Perceptions North South Difference A high crime area 29% 5% 24 Too congested 64 60 4 A convienient location 39 43 4 A good place to raise children 17 56 39 An expensive area 30 73 43 A desirable place to live 14 73 59

Non-Work Activities

“Where do you usually go for entertainment, restaurants and movies?

Where do you usually go when you shop in malls and major department stores?”

ENTERTAINMENT SHOPPING North South North South North County 66% 17% 69% 17% South County 27 76 26 77 Other answer 7 7 5 6

Note: Totals may not equal 100% because of rounding

Source: Mark Baldassare & Associates