O.C. Rates a Perfect “10” Among a Third of Residents

To nearly one-third of Orange County’s households, the glass is not just half-full, it’s completely full.

An estimated 262,900 households rated their neighborhood a perfect “10,” according to a newly-released federal housing survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau in 1994.

“This doesn’t surprise me,” said Chuck Smith, executive vice president of the East Orange County Assn. of Realtors, who sees the findings as further evidence the region is emerging from the worst recession in 50 years.

“I think people’s confidence is coming back,” he said. “This is still the greatest place in the world to live as far as I’m concerned.”

The U.S. Census surveys 46 metropolitan areas every four years. The surveys cover a range of information about household income, occupancy and even the number of appliances.

Data are frequently used by marketing companies, university researchers, state legislators and the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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Orange County, which boasts an enviable climate, wide access to recreation, good schools and a modern infrastructure, consistently ranks among the top of contented households in the country, according to Mark Baldassare, UC Irvine professor of urban planning and pollster.

The 1994 U.S. Census survey nearly matches a 1990 Baldassare study that also showed a third of Orange County residents believe they live in a perfect place.

“There is this core of people in Orange County that feel they have found paradise here,” said Baldassare, who added his Irvine neighborhood is a 10 in most categories. “Even after the financial crisis and the fears it would erode our quality of life, people still feel that way. It’s not surprising.”

In Orange County, census workers interviewed a sample of 3,846 residents for about an hour in 1994 to prepare the survey. On Monday, the Census Bureau released a 277-page document about the county.

The Orange County survey showed a vast majority of households are satisfied with their neighborhoods. Nearly 70% of the county’s 851,000 households rated their neighborhood an 8 or above, according to the survey. Less than 1% gave the county the lowest possible mark of 1, according to the survey.

Comparisons between Orange County and other metropolitan areas were immediately unavailable.

Some found it hard to believe Orange County contained neighborhoods above complaint.

“We are talking about perfect? That means no crime, no loitering and all that?” said Carole Walters, president of the Orange Taxpayers Assn, who rated her Orange neighborhood a more modest 7. “I can’t see that any neighborhood in Orange County doesn’t have problems. Maybe they are happy, but they can’t know what’s really going on then.”

Others argued the federal housing survey glosses over key points about neighborhood perspective.

Steve White, a real estate agent and community activist in Anaheim, said the survey doesn’t ask people whether their neighborhoods are improving or deteriorating.

“I think if you asked most people to compare their neighborhood to the way it was 10 years ago, they would say the quality of life has certainly diminished in terms of fear of crime, traffic congestion and overall economic decline,” said White. “The report tends to be a chamber of commerce, boosterism thing.”

The surveys are essential in tracking national household trends on everything from racial composition to real estate values, according to Bill Hartnett with the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Around the House Monthly housing costs for Orange County homeowners are higher than they are for renters, but a renters pay a higher percentage of their monthly income to keep a roof over their heads. Here’s the comparison Monthly Housing Costs

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Owners Renters Less than $500 22% 6% $500-$999 17 65 $1,000-$1,499 22 21 $1,500 and more 28 5 No cash expense * 3 Don’t know 11 * Median $1,127 $805

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* Less than 1%

Housing Cost as % of Income

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Owners Renters Less than 25% 50% 32% 25-49% 30 40 50-69% 4 11 70% and more 5 14 No cash expense * 3 Don’t know 11 *

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* Less than 1%

The Good Life

Owners also tend to have more of the appliances that make daily life around the house easier. Percentage of households that have:

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Owners Renters Dishwasher 50% 32% Washing machine 91 36 Clothes dryer 90 35 Garbage disposal 96 93 Air conditioning 61 57

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And renters depend more on single-room air-conditioning units. How homes are cooled:

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Owners Renters Central air conditioning 49% 32% One-room unit 9 23 Two units 2 2 Three units 1 * No air conditioning 39 43

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Home Repairs

Roof replacement/repairs top the list of major home renovation projects homeowners undertake in Orange County. Percentage of households undergoing renovation between 1992 and 1994:

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Replace/repair roof 21% Remodel kitchen 10 Add/remodel bathroom 10 Add insulation 3 Replace siding 2

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Source: U.S. Census survey