While Anaheim is known, first and foremost, as the home of the most iconic amusement park in the world, Disneyland is just a small part of what the city has to offer. Named for the Santa Ana River — "heim" means "home" in German — which runs through the eastern portion of the city, Anaheim grew from a town of less than 15,000 people in 1950 to a thriving metropolis of over 200,000 people by 1970. This was thanks to both the founding of Disneyland and the broader population boom seen throughout Orange County, driven largely by the aeronautic and manufacturing industries. Today, Anaheim is home to around 345,000 people, and while Disney is still the city’s largest employer, locals are more likely to work in healthcare or tech than manufacturing or aviation.
According to residents, what sets Anaheim apart is the friendliness of the people who live there. “It’s just an incredibly welcoming place,” says local Realtor and lifetime Anaheim resident Brittnie Avery of First Team Real Estate. “I think one of the best things about the city is how easy it is to fit in here, no matter where you’re coming from.” This friendly attitude is visible all over town, including in Anaheim’s recently adopted nickname, City of Kindness.
Anaheim is home to the happiest place on earth and that is Disneyland.
Anaheim Hills Trail is a popular trail for residents to admire the surrounding beauty.
See all the cute furry faces at La Palma Dog Park.
Inspirational mural behind picnic tables at Anaheim Town Square.
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Tourist attractions and public parks
The word park can mean a lot of things in Anaheim. There are, of course, dozens of well-manicured, city-run green spaces, ranging from standard playground and athletic field spots like Modjeska Park and Pearson Park to the more outdoorsy Anaheim Coves Park, which features 2.5 miles of hiking and biking trails. The Anaheim Coves Trail also connects with the Santa Ana River Trail and bikeway, which runs nearly 60 miles through Orange, Riverside and San Bernadino counties, and connects Anaheim cyclists to the nearby cities of Orange, Santa Ana and Yorba Linda.
Of course, Anaheim is best known for a different kind of park. First opened in 1955, Disneyland is the city’s largest employer and the main driver of tourism in the city. The park not only features hundreds of rides and activities, it plays a huge role in the local economy. For day-to-day entertainment, the city is home to major league sports teams, the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and the MLB’s Los Angeles Angels, who play at the Honda Center and Angel Stadium, respectively. The Honda Center also hosts a range of major musical acts throughout the year, along with WWE and UFC events.
“All the tourism in the city might seem like a drawback, but for a lot of people that’s the best part about living here,” says local Realtor and longtime Anaheim resident Michael Mattson of Lido Real Estate and Investments. “All the visitors are pretty concentrated around the city center and the theme parks, so the residential neighborhoods stay pretty quiet. And on the upside, we get easy access to a ton of great events and restaurants, and the city gets a ton of money for public works projects and maintenance.”
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is a major sports attraction hoisted in Anaheim.
There are various obstacles to choose from at Twila Reid Park in West Anaheim.
The Honda Center hosts many musical acts, comedy shows and much more events in Anaheim.
Anaheim's Ponderosa Skatepark has lots of challenging slopes banks and slides for skaters.
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Orange County Greek Festival and more year-round
Anaheim hosts a number of major events and festivals throughout the year, notably the Orange County Greek Festival and the Anaheim Fall Festival, which draw in thousands of people from throughout LA and Orange County. There are also a variety of public-facing events at the Anaheim Convention Center, including WonderCon, which draws around 60,000 comic book and sci-fi fans to the city each year. Annual theme park events like Disneyland’s Christmas Parade and Knott’s Scary Farm — the first and longest-running theme park Halloween event — also draw thousands of visitors every year, along with more than a few locals.
Get your groove on at the Anaheim Town Square Concert Series.
The performers will amaze you with their dance moves at the Music Art and Creativity Festival.
You'll never know who might just attend The Anaheim Fall Festival.
Dancing to the music Greek style at the OC Greek Fest at St John's Church in Anaheim.
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Midcentury homes and modern developments
The housing market in Anaheim is unusually diverse, featuring an eclectic assortment of single-family homes, condos, townhouses and manufactured units. As one might expect, the majority of single-family homes in the city were built during its population boom in the '50s and '60s, so midcentury California ranch-style homes are quite common throughout the city. However, there are also a number of new housing developments and condo complexes in the city, along with a few well-appointed mobile home parks. Housing stock does differ substantially depending on the area of town — central areas in the city tend to have a lot of condos, while Anaheim Hills on the east side is almost entirely made up of single-family homes. Condo and townhouse prices in Anaheim range from around $400,000 to $900,000, depending on size and location, while manufactured homes typically cost $150,000 to $200,000. Single-family homes, meanwhile, range from around $900,000 to $1.2 million for a midcentury ranch-style home with around 1,500 square feet. More spacious contemporary homes go for between $1 million and $2 million; most of these feature 2,000 to 3,000 square feet of space.
Home with picket fence and wide driveway are among many midcentury build homes.
Elevated view showing large homes on the edge of the residential neighborhood.
A Spanish Revival home with plenty of greenery resides in the heart of The Colony.
Anaheim Hills has many custom homes that are stunning.
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Popular public schools and Oxford Academy
Public schools in Anaheim are overseen by Anaheim Elementary School District and Anaheim Union High School District, the latter of which also oversees junior high schools in the area. The city is home to 24 elementary schools, eight junior highs and eight high schools, which draw students from Anaheim as well as the surrounding cities of Buena Park, Cypress, La Palma and Stanton. While the city is home to a number of well-regarded schools, the magnet Oxford Academy, which serves grades 7 to 12, is probably the best known and most respected, especially after being ranked the best public high school in California — and ninth best in the U.S. — by U.S. News & World Report in 2023. High school students throughout the district have opportunities to take dual enrollment classes at nearby community colleges like Fullerton College or Cypress College.
Fullerton College partners with Katella High School in Anaheim.
Students access to educational opportunities at Katella High School in Anaheim.
Oxford Academy is ranked the number four high school in California.
Anaheim High School has great teachers and staff.
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Where to shop and what to eat
Shopping in Anaheim is fairly simple and low-stress, no matter the location. The city has over a dozen major supermarkets spaced evenly throughout town, ranging from Ralphs and Albertsons to specialty grocers like Vallarta and 99 Ranch Market. Almost everywhere in town is within 2 miles of a major grocery store.
For other shopping needs, residents can find department stores scattered around town, particularly along Euclid Avenue on the west side. For a more idiosyncratic retail experience, the Anaheim Marketplace hosts one of the largest flea markets in Orange County, offering bargains, live music and a wide array of Latin food and snacks. Anaheim residents looking to enjoy a nice night out have dozens upon dozens of highly rated bars and restaurants to choose from — one of the perks of living near one of the largest tourist attractions in the world.
Northgate Market is another great store to get your grocery shopping done.
The Anaheim Packing District is a well known place to eat, drink and enjoy the atmosphere.
Shopping in Anaheim is fairly simple and low stress, no matter the location.
Superior Grocery Store has some of the freshest produce around.
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Using I-5 to get in, get out and get around
Interstate 5 is the main route for most Anaheim commuters and those looking to get to LA or south Orange County. The 5 connects the city with the cities of Orange, Santa Ana and Irvine to the south, as well as downtown LA to the north — though the 25-mile drive to LA can take well over an hour when traffic gets bad. While most Anaheim residents get around by car, there is ample public transportation available in the city. Orange County and LA County both operate a number of bus lines that run through the city, offering direct routes to neighboring cities in Orange County as well as a number of destinations in south and east LA. There are also Amtrak and Metrolink routes that stop at the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center near Angel Stadium. The Metrolink connects the city to San Bernadino, Riverside and Oceanside, along with most of the largest cities in Orange County. The Amtrak, meanwhile, offers a straight shot to central LA. Local cyclists can get around the area with relative ease, thanks to bike paths running through the area, most notably the Santa Ana River bikeway, which provides a direct route to a number of nearby cities, including Orange and Santa Ana.
John Wayne Airport is the nearest major airport, offering direct flights to over 20 locations. It’s about a 15-mile drive to the airport from central Anaheim, but that drive can take up to 40 minutes when traffic gets bad.
Wildfires and slightly elevated crime rates
While most of the city is far enough away from major forests to mitigate wildfire risk, the large Anaheim Hills neighborhood on the east side is close to the forests of the Santa Ana Mountains. Consequently, about 15% of the city's properties, mostly single-family homes on the east side, are categorized as wildfire risks.
According to FBI data, Anaheim’s property and violent crime rates are above both state and national figures. However, Anaheim’s crime rates are roughly in line with cities of a similar size.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
