Best cities to live in Orange County

Everyone can agree it is expensive to live on the southern California coast, but not all spots are the same.

Lake Forest Park is located in the heart of the city (pc: Lariat)

Orange County consists of 36 small cities south of Los Angeles and the one thing everyone agrees on is that it is too damn expensive to live in. Unfortunately for Saddleback students, the college offers no housing help leaving young adults to try to find a place to live in cities that most middle-class families shy away from. Students either group up and rent a house while splitting the cost or rent an apartment. Here are the places to look first while maneuvering with a tight budget but still sticking close to campus.

1. Lake Forest
Miles from campus: 5-15 miles
Average cost of rent: $2100
Rent an apartment or house: Both
Reason: Across the board, Lake Forest fits the needs of a Saddleback College student. The city is close to campus and is on the lower end of housing cost. Renting a house with a group of people can push rent to below $900 while renting an apartment with one other person can drop rent below $1000.

2. Aliso Viejo
Distance from campus: 5-15 miles
Average cost of rent: $2200
Rent an apartment or house: House
Reason: Like Lake Forest, Aliso Viejo is close to campus and is on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of cost for housing. Only difference is housing availability. Apartments are hard to come by so renting a house with a group of people is the only real option.

3. Buena Park
Miles from campus: 30 miles
Average cost of rent: $1700
Rent an apartment or house: Apartment
Reason: If cost is your biggest concern, Buena Park is as cheap as it gets in Orange County. Apartments are easier to find than houses although houses are not a bad option for this city. The distance is intimidating at first glance but the Interstate 5 Highway goes straight through Buena Park and Mission Vejio giving a straight shot to Saddleback College campus. As an added bonus, Knotts Berry Farm theme park is minutes away and was recently updated.

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