Grocery Stores in Orange County, CA — Market Data (2023)
505 grocery stores operate in Orange County, CA, based on 2023 U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns (CBP) data — the same establishment counts the federal government uses for economic statistics.
Market density
That works out to 1.61 establishments per 10,000 residents, 12.5% below the national average of 1.8409 per 10,000 residents for grocery stores. Markets with lower density have fewer competitors per capita; markets with higher density have more.
Market data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Establishments | 505 |
| Density (per 10,000 residents) | 1.61 |
| Employment | 26,704 |
| Annual payroll | $1,038,100,000 |
| Average business size (employees/establishment) | 52.9 |
| County population (2023) | 3,135,755 |
Less saturated nearby markets
These counties have a lower grocery stores density than Orange County — fewer competitors per capita for the same industry.
- Riverside County, CA: 1.533 per 10,000 residents (382 establishments)
- Salt Lake County, UT: 1.526 per 10,000 residents (181 establishments)
- San Bernardino County, CA: 1.517 per 10,000 residents (333 establishments)
- Travis County, TX: 1.288 per 10,000 residents (172 establishments)
See the full Grocery Stores by county ranking for all 45 counties with available data.
Frequently asked questions
How many grocery stores are there in Orange County, CA?
505 grocery stores operate in Orange County, CA, according to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns data.
Is the grocery stores market in Orange County, CA saturated compared to the national average?
Orange County, CA has 1.61 grocery stores per 10,000 residents, which is 12.5% below the national average of 1.8409 per 10,000 residents. That means fewer competitors per capita than the typical U.S. county.
What is the average size of a grocery store business in Orange County, CA?
The average grocery store business in Orange County, CA has about 52.9 employees (26,704 total employment ÷ 505 establishments).
Are there less saturated nearby markets for grocery stores?
Yes — Riverside County, CA has a lower density (1.533 per 10,000 residents) than Orange County, CA, along with 3 other nearby counties listed below.