To take home four times the typical rent here, a full-time job needs to pay at least $100.59 an hour before taxes, about $209,233 a year.
Rent is the middle of 89 ZIP-level HUD studio rents in the county. HUD's county-wide figure is $2,580 (Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA HUD Metro FMR Area).
Rents vary within the county. This is what the standard would be at each ZIP code's own studio rent; the county figure above is what the calculator uses.
| ZIP | Place | Studio rent | Pay needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90620 | Buena Park | $2,510/mo | $94.58/hr |
| 90621 | Buena Park | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 90622 | Buena Park | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 90623 | La Palma | $2,350/mo | $87.66/hr |
| 90624 | Buena Park | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 90630 | Cypress | $2,620/mo | $99.03/hr |
| 90631 | La Habra | $2,230/mo | $82.46/hr |
| 90632 | La Habra | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 90633 | La Habra | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 90680 | Stanton | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 90720 | Los Alamitos | $2,590/mo | $97.86/hr |
| 90721 | Los Alamitos | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 90740 | Seal Beach | $2,660/mo | $100.59/hr |
| 90742 | Sunset Beach | $2,690/mo | $101.77/hr |
| 90743 | Surfside | $2,590/mo | $97.86/hr |
| 92602 | Irvine | $3,140/mo | $120.11/hr |
| 92603 | Irvine | $3,670/mo | $142.98/hr |
| 92604 | Irvine | $3,050/mo | $116.23/hr |
| 92605 | Huntington Beach | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92606 | Irvine | $3,080/mo | $117.52/hr |
| 92607 | Laguna Niguel | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92609 | El Toro | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92610 | Foothill Ranch | $3,200/mo | $122.69/hr |
| 92612 | Irvine | $3,350/mo | $129.16/hr |
| 92614 | Irvine | $3,160/mo | $120.97/hr |
| 92615 | Huntington Beach | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92616 | Irvine | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92617 | Irvine | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92618 | Irvine | $3,660/mo | $142.55/hr |
| 92619 | Irvine | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92620 | Irvine | $3,440/mo | $133.03/hr |
| 92623 | Irvine | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92624 | Capistrano Beach | $3,010/mo | $114.51/hr |
| 92625 | Corona Del Mar | $3,620/mo | $140.82/hr |
| 92626 | Costa Mesa | $2,900/mo | $110.06/hr |
| 92627 | Costa Mesa | $2,600/mo | $98.25/hr |
| 92628 | Costa Mesa | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92629 | Dana Point | $3,140/mo | $120.11/hr |
| 92630 | Lake Forest | $2,910/mo | $110.45/hr |
| 92637 | Laguna Woods | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92646 | Huntington Beach | $2,730/mo | $103.33/hr |
| 92647 | Huntington Beach | $2,610/mo | $98.64/hr |
| 92648 | Huntington Beach | $2,710/mo | $102.55/hr |
| 92649 | Huntington Beach | $2,720/mo | $102.94/hr |
| 92650 | East Irvine | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92651 | Laguna Beach | $3,160/mo | $120.97/hr |
| 92652 | Laguna Beach | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92653 | Laguna Hills | $2,840/mo | $107.68/hr |
| 92654 | Laguna Hills | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92655 | Midway City | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92656 | Aliso Viejo | $3,160/mo | $120.97/hr |
| 92657 | Newport Coast | $3,470/mo | $134.33/hr |
| 92658 | Newport Beach | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92659 | Newport Beach | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92660 | Newport Beach | $3,870/mo | $151.97/hr |
| 92661 | Newport Beach | $3,030/mo | $115.37/hr |
| 92662 | Newport Beach | $2,870/mo | $108.87/hr |
| 92663 | Newport Beach | $2,990/mo | $113.64/hr |
| 92672 | San Clemente | $2,640/mo | $99.81/hr |
| 92673 | San Clemente | $3,610/mo | $140.39/hr |
| 92674 | San Clemente | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92675 | San Juan Capistrano | $2,680/mo | $101.37/hr |
| 92676 | Silverado | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92677 | Laguna Niguel | $3,110/mo | $118.82/hr |
| 92678 | Trabuco Canyon | $2,900/mo | $110.06/hr |
| 92679 | Trabuco Canyon | $3,490/mo | $135.19/hr |
| 92683 | Westminster | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92684 | Westminster | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92685 | Westminster | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92688 | Rancho Santa Margarita | $2,820/mo | $106.89/hr |
| 92690 | Mission Viejo | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92691 | Mission Viejo | $2,820/mo | $106.89/hr |
| 92692 | Mission Viejo | $3,070/mo | $117.09/hr |
| 92693 | San Juan Capistrano | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92694 | Ladera Ranch | $3,430/mo | $132.60/hr |
| 92697 | Irvine | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92701 | Santa Ana | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92702 | Santa Ana | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92703 | Santa Ana | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92704 | Santa Ana | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92705 | Santa Ana | $2,450/mo | $91.99/hr |
| 92706 | Santa Ana | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92707 | Santa Ana | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92708 | Fountain Valley | $2,770/mo | $104.90/hr |
| 92711 | Santa Ana | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92728 | Fountain Valley | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92735 | Santa Ana | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92780 | Tustin | $2,530/mo | $95.45/hr |
| 92781 | Tustin | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92782 | Tustin | $3,010/mo | $114.51/hr |
| 92799 | Santa Ana | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92801 | Anaheim | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92802 | Anaheim | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92803 | Anaheim | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92804 | Anaheim | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92805 | Anaheim | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92806 | Anaheim | $2,680/mo | $101.37/hr |
| 92807 | Anaheim | $3,170/mo | $121.40/hr |
| 92808 | Anaheim | $3,100/mo | $118.39/hr |
| 92809 | Anaheim | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92811 | Atwood | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92812 | Anaheim | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92814 | Anaheim | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92815 | Anaheim | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92816 | Anaheim | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92817 | Anaheim | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92821 | Brea | $2,710/mo | $102.55/hr |
| 92822 | Brea | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92823 | Brea | $3,700/mo | $144.28/hr |
| 92825 | Anaheim | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92831 | Fullerton | $2,560/mo | $96.68/hr |
| 92832 | Fullerton | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92833 | Fullerton | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92834 | Fullerton | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92835 | Fullerton | $2,530/mo | $95.45/hr |
| 92836 | Fullerton | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92837 | Fullerton | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92838 | Fullerton | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92840 | Garden Grove | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92841 | Garden Grove | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92842 | Garden Grove | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92843 | Garden Grove | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92844 | Garden Grove | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92845 | Garden Grove | $2,850/mo | $108.08/hr |
| 92846 | Garden Grove | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92856 | Orange | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92857 | Orange | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92859 | Orange | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92861 | Villa Park | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92862 | Orange | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92863 | Orange | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92864 | Orange | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92865 | Orange | $2,610/mo | $98.64/hr |
| 92866 | Orange | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92867 | Orange | $2,420/mo | $90.69/hr |
| 92868 | Orange | $2,730/mo | $103.33/hr |
| 92869 | Orange | $2,520/mo | $95.02/hr |
| 92870 | Placentia | $2,450/mo | $91.99/hr |
| 92871 | Placentia | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92885 | Yorba Linda | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
| 92886 | Yorba Linda | $3,360/mo | $129.59/hr |
| 92887 | Yorba Linda | $2,780/mo | $105.30/hr |
| 92899 | Anaheim | $2,580/mo | $97.47/hr |
Under the Four Times Rent standard, a full-time job in Orange County, California needs to pay at least $100.59 an hour before taxes, about $209,233 a year. That leaves $10,640 a month after taxes, four times the typical $2,660 rent on a studio apartment.
The minimum wage here is $16.90 an hour (California minimum wage). The standard is 6.0 times that. A full-time minimum-wage job takes home about $2,467 a month, 23% of the standard.
Take the typical monthly cost of a studio apartment, multiply by four, and divide by 160 hours of work a month. That's the take-home pay needed per hour. The pay before taxes is what it takes to keep that much after federal, state and local income taxes and Social Security and Medicare.
The idea behind the standard is laid out in Chapter 1: The Living Wage Revolution.