1990 CENSUS

The latest U.S. Census Bureau statistics suggest the 1980s in Orange County were both the best of times and the worst. Median household income rose dramatically, but the ranks of people below the poverty level ($12,674 annual income for a family of four) also swelled in some cities. Monthly homeowner costs--mortgage payment, taxes, association fees and other expenses--were up. Also detailed is students K-12 at public or private schools and cities with the most high school and college graduates among persons 25 years and older.

ORANGE COUNTY

1990 population: 2,410,556

Median household income: $45,922

Poverty level: 8.5%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,317

Median rent: $790

Students in public schools: 90.5%

Students in private schools: 9.5%

High school graduates: 81.2%

College graduates: 27.8%

Foreign-born population: 23.9%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 55.9%

ANAHEIM

1990 population: 266,406

Median household income: $39,620

Poverty level: 10.6%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,188

Median rent: $712

Students in public schools: 91.6%

Students in private schools: 8.4%

High school graduates: 75.4%

College graduates: 18.8%

Foreign-born population: 28.4%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 60.7%

BREA

1990 population: 32,873

Median household income: $51,253

Poverty level: 3.5%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,278

Median rent: $749

Students in public schools: 92.1%

Students in private schools: 7.9%

High school graduates: 87.4%

College graduates: 31.0%

Foreign-born population: 12.4%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 40.0%

BUENA PARK

1990 population: 68,784

Median household income: $41,435

Poverty level: 8.0%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,018

Median rent: $727

Students in public schools: 90.3%

Students in private schools: 9.7%

High school graduates: 76.7%

College graduates: 15.9%

Foreign-born population: 22.7%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 54.0%

COSTA MESA

1990 population: 96,357

Median household income: $40,313

Poverty level: 9.2%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,229

Median rent: $810

Students in public schools: 86.4%

Students in private schools: 13.6%

High school graduates: 83.5%

College graduates: 27.3%

Foreign-born population: 21.6%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 58.3%

CYPRESS

1990 population: 42,655

Median household income: $50,981

Poverty level: 4.5%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,086

Median rent: $811

Students in public schools: 87.9%

Students in private schools: 12.1%

High school graduates: 87.5%

College graduates: 26.6%

Foreign-born population: 15.4%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 37.7%

DANA POINT

1990 population: 31,896

Median household income: $54,516

Poverty level: 7.2%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,628

Median rent: $898

Students in public schools: 90.7%

Students in private schools: 9.3%

High school graduates: 90.3%

College graduates: 35.8%

Foreign-born population: 13.4%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 57.0%

FOUNTAIN VALLEY

1990 population: 53,691

Median household income: $56,255

Poverty level: 3.5%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,218

Median rent: $893

Students in public schools: 87.9%

Students in private schools: 12.1%

High school graduates: 88.7%

College graduates: 31.3%

Foreign-born population: 19.4%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 40.3%

FULLERTON

1990 population: 114,144

Median household income: $41,921

Poverty level: 9.8%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,173

Median rent: $706

Students in public schools: 89.8%

Students in private schools: 10.2%

High school graduates: 82.7%

College graduates: 29.8%

Foreign-born population: 23.6%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 51.6%

GARDEN GROVE

1990 population: 143,050

Median household income: $39,882

Poverty level: 10.4%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,058

Median rent: $745

Students in public schools: 91.6%

Students in private schools: 8.4%

High school graduates: 74.4%

College graduates: 16.1%

Foreign-born population: 30.5%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 65.4%

HUNTINGTON BEACH

1990 population: 181,519

Median household income: $50,633

Poverty level: 5.2%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,322

Median rent: $860

Students in public schools: 89.3%

Students in private schools: 10.7%

High school graduates: 89.2%

College graduates: 32.1%

Foreign-born population: 14.9%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 45.0%

IRVINE

1990 population: 110,330

Median household income: $56,307

Poverty level: 6.4%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,615

Median rent: $925

Students in public schools: 95.2%

Students in private schools: 4.8%

High school graduates: 95.1%

College graduates: 52.8%

Foreign-born population: 22.3%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 50.0%

LA HABRA

1990 population: 51,266

Median household income: $39,967

Poverty level: 8.0%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,047

Median rent: $685

Students in public schools: 89.5%

Students in private schools: 10.5%

High school graduates: 76.3%

College graduates: 18.4%

Foreign-born population: 19.9%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 51.2%

LA PALMA

1990 population: 15,392

Median household income: $54,364

Poverty level: 5.9%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,224

Median rent: $810

Students in public schools: 86.7%

Students in private schools: 13.3%

High school graduates: 88.8%

College graduates: 31.5%

Foreign-born population: 27.6%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 43.0%

LAGUNA BEACH

1990 population: 23,170

Median household income: $53,419

Poverty level: 6.1%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,906

Median rent: $879

Students in public schools: 90.5%

Students in private schools: 9.5%

High school graduates: 94.1%

College graduates: 49.0%

Foreign-born population: 11.2%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 31.9%

LAGUNA HILLS

1990 population: 46,371

Median household income: $40,489

Poverty level: 4.1%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,500

Median rent: $919

Students in public schools: 86.7%

Students in private schools: 13.3%

High school graduates: 90.8%

College graduates: 33.9%

Foreign-born population: 15.5%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 26.6%

LAGUNA NIGUEL

1990 population: 44,400

Median household income: $61,501

Poverty level: 3.1%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,872

Median rent *: $901

Students in public schools: 88.6%

Students in private schools: 11.4%

High school graduates: 95.9%

College graduates: 44.6%

Foreign-born population: 13.8%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 31.8%

* Estimate; median rent was above scale surveyed

LAKE FOREST

1990 population: 62,685

Median household income: $56,324

Poverty level: 3.3%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,519

Median rent: $877

Students in public schools: 93.3%

Students in private schools: 6.7%

High school graduates: 91.7%

College graduates: 35.6%

Foreign-born population: 14.6%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 47.4%

LOS ALAMITOS

1990 population: 11,676

Median household income: $45,171

Poverty level: 4.4%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $990

Median rent: $829

Students in public schools: 92.6%

Students in private schools: 7.4%

High school graduates: 85.9%

College graduates: 29.3%

Foreign-born population: 12.2%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 34.5%

MISSION VIEJO

1990 population: 72,820

Median household income: $61,058

Poverty level: 2.0%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,523

Median rent *: $969

Students in public schools: 92.0%

Students in private schools: 8.0%

High school graduates: 93.7%

College graduates: 39.1%

Foreign-born population: 12.5%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 38.2%

* Estimate; median rent was above scale surveyed

NEWPORT BEACH

1990 population: 66,643

Median household income: $60,374

Poverty level: 5.7%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $2,001

Median rent: $967

Students in public schools: 80.1%

Students in private schools: 19.9%

High school graduates: 95.3%

College graduates: 50.3%

Foreign-born population: 9.1%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 31.2%

ORANGE

1990 population: 110,658

Median household income: $46,539

Poverty level: 8.0%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,291

Median rent: $766

Students in public schools: 84.6%

Students in private schools: 15.4%

High school graduates: 81.7%

College graduates: 25.6%

Foreign-born population: 20.1%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 57.5%

PLACENTIA

1990 population: 41,259

Median household income: $50,945

Poverty level: 7.7%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,169

Median rent: $799

Students in public schools: 95.2%

Students in private schools: 4.8%

High school graduates: 81.7%

College graduates: 30.2%

Foreign-born population: 19.1%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 53.0%

SAN CLEMENTE

1990 population: 41,100

Median household income: $46,374

Poverty level: 7.0%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,634

Median rent: $774

Students in public schools: 86.1%

Students in private schools: 13.9%

High school graduates: 90.4%

College graduates: 32.4%

Foreign-born population: 12.2%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 45.4%

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

1990 population: 26,183

Median household income: $46,250

Poverty level: 6.2%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,406

Median rent: $913

Students in public schools: 83.9%

Students in private schools: 16.1%

High school graduates: 83.6%

College graduates: 28.1%

Foreign-born population: 19.0%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 54.8%

SANTA ANA

1990 population: 293,742

Median household income: $35,162

Poverty level: 18.1%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,072

Median rent: $736

Students in public schools: 94.6%

Students in private schools: 5.4%

High school graduates: 49.7%

College graduates: 10.6%

Foreign-born population: 50.9%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 64.1%

SEAL BEACH

1990 population: 25,098

Median household income: $32,834

Poverty level: 4.8%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,269

Median rent: $821

Students in public schools: 87.8%

Students in private schools: 12.2%

High school graduates: 86.3%

College graduates: 31.6%

Foreign-born population: 9.8%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 22.7%

STANTON

1990 population: 30,491

Median household income: $33,367

Poverty level: 13.6%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,062

Median rent: $718

Students in public schools: 91.5%

Students in private schools: 8.5%

High school graduates: 70.4%

College graduates: 14.2%

Foreign-born population: 30.9%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 61.0%

TUSTIN

1990 population: 50,689

Median household income: $38,433

Poverty level: 6.8%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,262

Median rent: $746

Students in public schools: 91.9%

Students in private schools: 8.1%

High school graduates: 86.0%

College graduates: 25.5%

Foreign-born population: 21.6%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 63.0%

VILLA PARK

1990 population: 6,299

Median household income: $99,906

Poverty level: 2.5%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $2,001

Median rent *: $1,001

Students in public schools: 75.8%

Students in private schools: 24.2%

High school graduates: 93.5%

College graduates: 50.5%

Foreign-born population: 10.6%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 38.2%

* Estimate; median rent was above scale surveyed

WESTMINSTER

1990 population: 78,118

Median household income: $41,364

Poverty level: 11.4%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,106

Median rent: $736

Students in public schools: 90.6%

Students in private schools: 9.4%

High school graduates: 75.1%

College graduates: 18.1%

Foreign-born population: 29.1%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 61.1%

YORBA LINDA

1990 population: 52,422

Median household income: $67,892

Poverty level: 1.9%

Median monthly homeowner costs: $1,696

Median rent: $918

Students in public schools: 86.4%

Students in private schools: 13.6%

High school graduates: 92.9%

College graduates: 37.0%

Foreign-born population: 12.0%

Percent of foreign-born population that entered U.S. from 1980-90: 34.7%

How Cities Rank

FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION

City: Percentage

Santa Ana: 50.9%

Stanton: 30.9%

Garden Grove: 30.5%

Westminster: 29.1%

Anaheim: 28.4%

La Palma: 27.6%

Fullerton: 23.6%

Buena Park: 22.7%

Irvine: 22.3%

Tustin: 21.6%

Costa Mesa: 21.6%

Orange: 20.1%

La Habra: 19.9%

Fountain Valley: 19.4%

Placentia: 19.1%

San Juan Capistrano: 19.0%

Laguna Hills: 15.5%

Cypress: 15.4%

Huntington Beach: 14.9%

Lake Forest: 14.6%

Laguna Niguel: 13.8%

Dana Point: 13.4%

Mission Viejo: 12.5%

Brea: 12.4%

Los Alamitos: 12.2%

San Clemente: 12.2%

Yorba Linda: 12.0%

Laguna Beach: 11.2%

Villa Park: 10.6%

Seal Beach: 9.8%

Newport Beach: 9.1%

HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE GRADUATES

% High School % College Graduates Graduates Irvine 95.1% 52.8% Villa Park 93.5% 50.5% Newport Beach 95.3% 50.3% Laguna Beach 94.1% 49.0% Laguna Niguel 95.9% 44.6% Mission Viejo 93.7% 39.1% Yorba Linda 92.9% 37.0% Dana Point 90.3% 35.8% Lake Forest 91.7% 35.6% Laguna Hills 90.8% 33.9% San Clemente 90.4% 32.4% Huntington Beach 89.2% 32.1% Seal Beach 86.3% 31.6% La Palma 88.8% 31.5% Fountain Valley 88.7% 31.3% Brea 87.4% 31.0% Placentia 81.7% 30.2% Fullerton 82.7% 29.8% Los Alamitos 85.9% 29.3% San Juan Capistrano 83.6% 28.1% Costa Mesa 83.5% 27.3% Cypress 87.5% 26.6% Orange 81.7% 25.6% Tustin 86.0% 25.5% Anaheim 75.4% 18.8% La Habra 76.3% 18.4% Westminster 75.1% 18.1% Garden Grove 74.4% 16.1% Buena Park 76.7% 15.9% Stanton 70.4% 14.2% Santa Ana 49.7% 10.6%

STUDENTS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Public Private Schools Schools Placentia 95.2% 4.79% Irvine 95.2% 4.84% Santa Ana 94.6% 5.4% Lake Forest 93.3% 6.7% Los Alamitos 92.6% 7.4% Brea 92.1% 7.9% Mission Viejo 92.0% 8.0% Tustin 91.9% 8.1% Garden Grove 91.6% 8.4% Anaheim 91.6% 8.4% Stanton 91.5% 8.5% Dana Point 90.7% 9.3% Westminster 90.6% 9.4% Laguna Beach 90.5% 9.5% Buena Park 90.3% 9.7% Fullerton 89.8% 10.2% La Habra 89.5% 10.5% Huntington Beach 89.3% 10.7% Laguna Niguel 88.6% 11.4% Fountain Valley 87.9% 12.1% Cypress 87.9% 12.1% Seal Beach 87.8% 12.2% La Palma 86.7% 13.3% Laguna Hills 86.7% 13.3% Yorba Linda 86.4% 13.6% Costa Mesa 86.4% 13.6% San Clemente 86.1% 13.9% Orange 84.6% 15.4% San Juan Capistrano 83.9% 16.1% Newport Beach 80.1% 19.9% Villa Park 75.8% 24.2%

Median Household Income in Orange County

How the figures compare:

Orange County: $45,922

California: $35,798

U.S.: $34,213

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Poverty Level in Orange County

How the percentages compare:

Orange County: 8.5%

California: 12.5%

U.S.: 12.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Commuter Profile (Some percentages do not add up to 100% because of rounding.)

Where We Go

Employed within Orange County: 82%

Employed outside Orange County: 18%

How We Get There

Drive alone: 76.8%

Car pool: 13.7%

Bus: 2.4%

Taxi: 0.02%

Motorcycle: 0.05%

Bicycle: 0.9%

Walk: 2.2%

Other: 0.8%

Work at home: 2.7%

How Long It Takes

Mean travel time to work: 25 minutes

0-4 minutes: 1.9%

5-9 minutes: 8.5%

10-14 minutes: 13.4%

15-19 minutes: 15.9%

20-24 minutes: 14.5 %

25-29 minutes: 5.7%

30-34 minutes: 15.1%

35-39 minutes: 2.8%

40-44 minutes: 3.9%

45-59 minutes: 7.9%

60-89 minutes: 6.0%

90 or more minutes: 1.8%

Work at home: 2.7%

What Time We Leave

Midnight to 4:59 a.m.: 2.9%

5 to 5:29 a.m.: 3.6%

5:30 to 5:59 a.m.: 5.1%

6 to 6:29 a.m.: 9.9%

6:30 to 6:59 a.m.: 11.2%

7 to 7:29 a.m.: 15.5%

7 to 7:59 a.m.: 13.1%

8 to 8:29 a.m.: 11.1%

8:30 to 8:59 a.m.: 4.9%

9 to 9:59 a.m.: 5.9%

10 to 10:59 a.m.: 2.3%

11 to 11:59 a.m.: 1.1%

Noon to 3:59 p.m.: 5.7%

4 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.: 4.9%

Vehicles per Household

None: 4.7%

One Vehicle: 29.4%

Two: 42.4%

Three: 16.2%

Four 5.3%

Five or more: 2%

Mean vehicles per household: 1.95%

Vehicles per homeowner: 2.17%

Vehicles per renter: 1.62%

Other Vital Statistics (Some percentages do not add up to 100% because of rounding.)

Veteran Status

Discharged 1975 or later: 11.8%

Served Vietnam Era: 28.8%

Served Vietnam and Korea: 1.1%

Served Vietnam, Korea and WWII: 1%

Served 1955-1964: 12%

Served Korea: 15.2%

Served Korea and WW II: 3.2%

Served WW II: 25.8%

Served WW I: 0.3%

Other service: 0.7%

Language Spoken at Home (age 5 and over)

English: 1,537,674

Spanish: 421,287

Vietnamese: 62,228

Chinese: 33,268

Korean: 31,434

German: 13,959

Yiddish: 772

Other West Germanic: 3,965

Scandinavian: 2,873

Greek: 2,912

Indic: 12,297

Italian: 6,562

French: 10,286

Portuguese: 1,370

Polish: 3,039

Russian: 1,575

South Slavic: 1,312

Other Slavic: 1,394

Other Indo-European: 18,519

Arabic: 8,360

Tagalog: 17,865

Hungarian: 1,939

Japanese: 13,715

Mon-Khmer: 3,369

Native American: 296

Other: 14,947

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Compiled by DANNY SULLIVAN, JANICE JONES and JIM CARR / Los Angeles Times

Top Five in Median Monthly Homeowner Costs

Villa Park: $2,001

Newport Beach: $2,001

Laguna Beach: $1,906

Laguna Niguel: $1,872

Yorba Linda: $1,696

Top Five in Median Rent

Villa Park: $1,001

Mission Viejo: $969

Newport Beach: $967

Irvine: $925

Laguna Hills: $919