$104,200 salary in Orange County, California considered 'low-income' by state officials

A six-figure salary is officially considered "low-income" in Orange County, California, according to state housing officials.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development released its 2026 state income limits, revealing that a single-person household in Orange County earning $104,200 or less per year now qualifies for low-income housing assistance. The updated threshold represents a significant jump from last year’s cutoff of $94,750.

State officials use the annual report to determine eligibility for income-restricted apartments and local housing assistance programs. Because state metrics weigh income against local housing costs, skyrocketing real estate prices have pushed Orange County's low-income threshold higher than its actual median individual income.

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The figures underscore an ongoing affordability crisis that has residents questioning their future in the region. A 2024 survey conducted by the University of California, Irvine found that 51% of Orange County residents have considered relocating, with more than three-quarters of those potential "leavers" citing the crushing cost of housing as their primary motivator.

For many renters in the area, homeownership seems out of reach. Data from the California Association of Realtors shows that just 18% of Orange County households earn the minimum annual income required to afford a median-priced home in the county, where the median price tags hover around $1.44 million. Statewide, homeownership remains a steep hurdle, with just over half of Californians—55.3%—owning their homes.

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As housing costs and tax burdens remain high, California's major metropolitan areas continue to see steady population declines.

Neighboring Los Angeles County led the nation in population loss last year. U.S. Census Bureau data released in March 2026 shows that between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, LA County lost 53,421 residents—the largest numeric decline of any county in the United States. Since 2020, Los Angeles County’s total population has shrunk from roughly 10 million to 9.7 million.

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Further north, San Francisco's population has similarly failed to recover from its pandemic-era low. Despite a localized economic boom driven by the artificial intelligence sector, newly released Census estimates show the city’s total population remains well below 2020 levels. 

Similar to Los Angeles, the Bay Area hub has spent the last several years plagued by skyrocketing costs of living, rampant homelessness, and concerns over retail crime.

Fox News Digital reached out to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for comment.

Fox News Digital's Kristen Altus contributed to this report.